


Not Your Average Fairy Tale

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: Discontinued (for now) [8]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumblebee - Freeform, F/F, First Kiss, Holy smokes there might actually be a sort of plot!, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, POV Multiple, Teasing, White Rose - Freeform, follow on from vol 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-09-28 02:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10066343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: Fairy tales rarely live up to their expectations. Nothing more than romanticized fantasy. However, that doesn’t stop people from chasing them. If they try hard enough, sometimes they can carve their own happy ending in amongst the hardship.





	1. Changing Belief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome to this new fic. I thought I'd start expanding my ship writing early, because why not? You can never have enough f/f pairings. This is a continuation from vol 4.

**Chapter One: Changing Belief**

**Weiss' POV**

" _Weiss… are you awake?" The familiar voice catches my attention, bringing me from light sleep._

_I could ignore it, pretend I'm asleep, but instead I open my eyes and roll over to face the voice. "I am now."_

_Ruby is on watch right now, the light from the campfire flickering and crackling in the night. "Do you... believe in fairy tales?"_

" _That's random." That is the last thing I was expecting her to ask._

" _Well, do you or not?" she insists firmly._

_Deciding to just answer her, I give it some thought. "I assume you mean the romanticized versions and not the gruesome originals. Honestly, no. Things never work out like that in real life."_

" _I think they can, sort of," Ruby replies hesitantly as she looks out over the landscape below. Ruins surround us and are clearly visible from our vantage point. Various Grimm patrol the area, thankfully leaving us alone for now._

" _This had better be good and not a waste of my time," I announce with my usual degree of impatience._

_Used to it by now, Ruby isn't fazed by my abruptness. Instead, she hugs her knees and continues. "Just because they aren't totally true doesn't mean you should completely dismiss them. It might not be a perfect tale, but there are parts worth sticking around for."_

" _Like what?" I ask, curious to see how she will respond._

" _Oh, you want examples," clearly, she wasn't expecting me to press for details. "Hmm… well, spending time with team RWBY for one. Without the Grimm around, huntresses wouldn't be a thing, so I'd never gone to Beacon and neither would you or Blake."_

" _That is true."_

_She exhales deeply, gathering her thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is that without the hardship, we would never have met. All the fun times we had wouldn't exist. We wouldn't even know each other existed. It's kind of sad when you think about it…" her voice trails off, the fire light exposing her heartbreaking expression._

" _Ugh, don't start crying on me. We did meet, so it's pointless thinking about other possibilities." This is about as caring as I get where comforting is concerned._

_Despite the seemingly harsh nature of my reply, Ruby nods. "Yeah, we did."_

" _Lucky you. Whatever would you do without me around?" Deep down, I have a feeling Ruby would do just fine without me around. She might seem like an immature child sometimes, but she might just be the strongest and wisest out of us all. Ozpin could clearly see the potential._

" _I am lucky," she agrees almost instantly. "Even though we have a difficult task ahead of us, I don't feel afraid because with you around."_

" _I suppose having you around isn't too bad," I admit, finding it impossible to concede anything more heartfelt than that._

_That reluctant confession makes Ruby grin. "I think that's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me."_

_I shake my head at her, stifling a smile. "Well, don't get used to it."_

" _Wouldn't dream of it," she whispers as she returns to her watch._

* * *

My eyes open as the remnants of my dream fade away. For some reason, my brain seems to always focus on this memory from so long ago now. Or at least, Mountain Glen _feels_ like a lifetime ago with everything else that's happened. I've lost track of time, but I must be close to Mistral now.

Sure enough, I feel the vehicle I'm hitching a ride on judder to a halt and the door opens. A man stands there, signaling for me to get out. "We're here. Welcome to Mistral."

I gather my belongings together and exit into the sunlight. My eyes scrunch up from the sudden blinding light. "Thanks."

He nods stiffly. "Don't mention it. Good luck out there. We all need it nowadays."

This is my first time in Mistral and as expected it's completely different from either Vale or Atlas. Right now, I am standing on the outskirts of the main city of Mistral. Buildings are dotted around on the two mountains in the distance, all the way from the foot to the summit. An impressive palace-like structure spans across the peaks, drawing my eye immediately.

Exhaling deeply, I continue on into the city. Even with the dire situation, the streets are still bustling with activity. The atmosphere does seem understandably tense given what has transpired since Beacon fell. Without the CCT towers to communicate, everyone's on edge. Distrust runs rampant, especially against the Atlas kingdom. I completely can understand their caution given the way my father is acting. At least I managed to escape the prison he was gradually building for me…

Pushing that thought from my mind, I press forward. To be honest, I didn't plan further than leaving Atlas. I'm not sure what I should do now. Ideally, I would meet up with Ruby, Yang and Blake, but… I don't know where they are. They could be anywhere right now. As that realization crosses my mind, I notice the familiar streak of red of a cloak. Without thinking, I immediately give chase, desperate to catch up. Maybe it's too much to hope, but it's not like I have many options right now.

My light blue eyes scan the crowd, catching sight of the vibrant red once more. I've come this far and can't give up. Not if there is a chance. Taking a deep breath, I follow again. Every now and then, I lose sight of the flash of red, only to pick it up again moments later. Eventually, I get close enough to assert that my suspicions are correct.

"Ruby?" I state incredulously. She is the very last person I expected to bump into. Just what is she doing here? That is enough to make her stop in her tracks and turn around.

"Weiss!" without warning, the hyper huntress darts towards me, actually tapping into her semblance to leave a whirlwind of rose petals, and collides into me for a hug. In fact, she nearly knocks me over.

"Careful!" I exclaim as I try to get my balance back.

She grins at me sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Oops, sorry. I got a bit _too_ excited there. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I was certain that she would be in Vale now with her family. Especially after what happened to Yang...

Her expression turns more serious as she explains what she's doing here. "Uncle Qrow told me Haven was our best bet. We met with Professor Lionheart to discuss a few things."

"I see," yet again, everyone has to rely on young, inexperienced teenagers to save Remnant. Just like Pyrrha… maybe now more than ever. Hopefully, it'll have a happier ending this time. "Well, I… ran away from home. Klein, our family butler, helped me escape. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing like my father wanted. I took the first ride I could, hence why I'm here."

Ruby grabs onto my shoulders, getting a good look at me. "I can't believe you're here. We were all so worried."

"I didn't keep away by choice, believe me." If it had been down to me, I would have never returned to Atlas. Nobody there really understands what happened at Beacon or how much danger we're all in. Except maybe James Ironwood. He might just be the only one, though.

Without warning, she grabs me by the hand and pulls me along. "Come on, let's head back to my room at the inn. I'm sure the others will be excited to see you."

"Others?"

"Yeah, Jaune, Nora and Ren," Ruby clarifies as she drags me through the crowded streets. "They came with me since Blake is MIA and Yang…" She pauses momentarily before continuing, sounding sadder than before, "...wasn't fit to travel. I sent a letter telling her where we were, so hopefully she'll turn up sooner or later."

"How is Yang?" I ask hesitantly, not wanting to bring up bad memories but eager to know how she is doing.

The aura surrounding Ruby shifts to something much gloomier. "When I left, she… wasn't doing so good. Events at Beacon had a huge impact on her. Blake disappearing off the face of the earth didn't help."

"I can imagine." Yang and Blake had been pretty close before Beacon. Anyone could tell that by just watching them. We finally make our way to a nearby inn. She leads me inside and up the stairs to the room she's been staying in since coming to Mistral. It's empty.

"I guess the others are out right now. I'm sure they'll be back soon," Ruby observes as she takes a seat on one of the beds.

"Seems so." I take the chance to sit down beside her.

"I think they wanted to look around the city. We haven't had much time to relax recently." She gives me a very brief overview of what she and the rest of team JNPR, or as she called them all RNJR, have been up to. Mostly, it sounds like she's been fighting Grimm… and a lot of them.

"Sounds rough. How have you been holding up?" Something tells me that Ruby hasn't been dealing with any of this overly well. She seems different from before Beacon fell, older maybe. More world weary.

Ruby just shrugs the question off. "You know me…"

"That's not an answer." I frown at her sternly, showing her that I'm not going to back down until she gives me the truth.

She exhales deeply, clearly conflicted about what to tell me. "It's been… hard, I won't lie. After Beacon, well, things only got tougher."

Just as I suspected, she blames herself. I can see it in her eyes. In an attempt to comfort her, I take her hand and give it a light squeeze. Seeing her sad and hopeless like this really hurts. "About Pyrrha… it wasn't your fault."

"So I've been told." She looks down, obviously not believing that.

"Ruby… look at me. Please," after a few seconds, she lifts her head. The usual carefree cheerfulness has long since gone. "The people to blame are our enemies. Not us… least of all you. You know Pyrrha would have said the same."

"I know. I guess I just haven't had enough time to properly process it all, what with the traveling and… everything. Seeing how much her death affects Jaune doesn't help." That reminder only makes her look more depressed.

"He doesn't blame you either," I insist, anything to stop her looking so sad. "Nobody does… except you. Without you, we wouldn't even be here right now. You stopped Cinder and gave us all time. That's more than anyone else could have done."

"Even you?" she asks, a hint of humor present in her question.

A slight smile quirks at my lips. "As much as it pains me to admit it… yes, even me. So, don't beat yourself up too hard. Leave that for me to do when you actually deserve it."

That actually makes her laugh. "Okay, I'll leave that to you then."

Yet again, my mind goes back to Mountain Glen… to the question Ruby asked me. "Do you remember when you asked me if I believed in fairy tales?"

She nods. "Sure I do, back at Mountain Glen. Seems like such a long time ago now."

Now that I have her attention, I press forward. "I never thought I'd say this, but… you were right."

That seems to shock her. "I was? Wow, I didn't think you'd admit I was right, like… ever. What made you change your mind?"

After gathering my thoughts, I continue. "As much as it pains me to admit it… you did. You showed me that there were things worth the struggle. If it hadn't been for you, I might still be at Atlas." It isn't until now that I realize just how much of an affect Ruby has had on me… in so many different ways.

"I… don't know what to say…" she stutters, completely lost for words.

I shake my head and take a stronger grip on her hands. "You don't have to say anything. In fact, I would appreciate it if you didn't. It's hard enough admitting I was wrong, let alone listening to you gloat."

"I wasn't going to gloat… much," she grins cheekily at me, a smile that quickly fades under my icy glare. "Kidding, I wasn't going to at all."

"Good, because otherwise it would've been your funeral."

She playfully rolls her eyes at me, carefully playing with my fingers as she speaks. "Still as gentle and affectionate as ever I see… it's good to have you back, Weiss."

Hearing her say that makes me feel happy. Really happy. More than I had been expecting. "I'm glad to be back. I couldn't just leave it all down to you, could I?"

"If you'd been much longer, I'd have gone to Atlas and dragged you away by force. Nobody keeps team RWBY separated under my watch," her stomach interrupts with a timely grumble and she grins sheepishly at me. "Guess I'm hungry. You must be too. Let's go get some food."

She stands up, her hands slipping from mine. It takes a lot for me to restrain myself from grabbing hold of them again. I miss their warmth. Jeez, what is wrong with me? When I don't follow straight away, Ruby extends her hand towards me with a coaxing smile. She seems just as keen to maintain contact between us as I do. Maybe it's because we've been apart for so long, a reminder we both made it and we're both here now. And maybe, just maybe, it's something else...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, there you have it. I might expand on this later when I find the time and get some proper gay ass shit in the mix. I might add some Yang/Blake in as well. There was another idea I had that would fit nicely in this story. May as well include it.
> 
> If you do want more, let me know and I'll try to come back to it quickly. I'm working hard to come up with ideas for RWBY, so keep an ear on the ground for more. Knowing me, I'll end up doing something for nearly every f/f RWBY ship. Have a great day and see you around.


	2. Nightmare Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Time to add some plot in amongst the gay shenanigans.

**Chapter Two: Nightmare Eyes**

**Weiss's POV**

Just then, the door handle to the inn room rattles, suggesting that someone is about to come in. I pull my hand away from Ruby's on instinct, regretting it a little when I see the disappointment flicker in her eyes for just a second.

When the door opens, a familiar person stands there. A tall boy with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes. The second he sees me, those eyes widen in surprise. "Weiss, what are you doing here?"

I offer him a cool reply. "I managed to escape my father's clutches and took the first ride I could. When I got here, I saw Ruby, well chased her down would be more accurate."

He seems stunned, unable to speak at the unexpected encounter. His mouth is open a bit, gaping in shock.

"Where are Nora and Ren?" Ruby asks, craning her neck to see if they are hiding behind Jaune.

Finally, he pulls himself together and shrugs, looking a bit awkward. "I left them to it, kind of felt like a third wheel."

"They do seem to have gotten closer after Kuroyuri, closer than usual anyway," she observes with the ghost of a fond smile.

"Don't I know it," he smiles to himself before turning his attention back to me. "Anyway, it's good to have you back, Weiss. Always good to see a familiar face."

"Even if that face scowls at you a lot," Ruby adds cheekily, earning her one of those scowls she was just talking about.

"I suppose it's not too bad seeing you either," I respond in my default detached tone.

"Glad to see that your icy contempt for me hasn't changed," he chuckles, not taking offence.

Despite how much I didn't like Jaune when I first met him, he's grown on me a little. Still, I would never admit that to him, or anyone else for that matter. "I wouldn't want to disappoint."

Cutting in, Ruby points to the door with her thumb. "We were just about to get food. You hungry?"

He nods eagerly and we follow Ruby downstairs. We order some sort of stew, which smells surprisingly tasty, and sit down at one of the vacant tables. There are a few people here, some silently nursing their drinks while other engage in whispered conversations.

Jaune pokes at the food with his spoon, swirling idly. "I really hate waiting around like this."

"You and me both," Ruby agrees between mouthfuls. She really has no table etiquette to speak of.

"Well, it beats being held prisoner by my father for me. At least I can do something useful in Mistral," I add as I daintily start to eat.

He sighs deeply. "Yeah, we need you here. The whole world has gone crazy. Just like that."

"Maybe it was crazy before… we just couldn't see it," Ruby mentions sadly. As much as I have branded her a childish fool, incapable of taking things seriously in the past, sometimes she seems more mature and wiser than any of the adults trying to fix this mess. More than me.

"I guess situations like this don't just suddenly appear out of nowhere," Jaune concedes.

"It must have been building up for a long time and I suspect it'll take even longer to set right," I theorise, wondering just how long this outcome has been in the making.

Ruby shrugs, slowing her ridiculously quick eating style. "We all have to start somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, for us it's about twenty paces behind our enemies… complaining about it won't help much." He looks down at his food, barely touched. "Guess I'm not as hungry as I thought. I'm going to go practise some swings. See you guys later." With that, he stands up and leaves.

"He must want to be close to Pyrrha," Ruby observes dejectedly once he has gone. "While traveling, I caught him watching one of the training videos she made for him. He seems to be training more and more with each passing day. Part of it's because we've got nothing better to do. The other part… he misses Pyrrha. She was his teammate, his friend and… it's too cruel."

"It is," I agree. There isn't a word strong enough to describe just how cruel all this is.

After a brief silence, she picks up the conversation again. "I keep thinking about it, losing people. We already lost Penny, Pyrrha, Ozpin and others. We nearly lost Yang, Uncle Qrow and Blake is… complicated. Then, you were trapped in Atlas. I don't know if I can handle much more loss, death or otherwise."

"I won't lie and tell you it'll all be okay, as much as I want to. What I will say is this, I am not about to give up and let our enemies win. And I know you won't either. We will fight and keep fighting until we can't anymore." I reach out to take her hand, wanting to give her some kind of comfort.

"You never did sugarcoat things. It's one of the things I appreciate about you, Weiss." Her eyes are soft and full of appreciation, not hiding anything from me.

Eager to tease her a little, I smirk. "Oh, only one? You are right to be in awe of my many virtues."

"Modesty not being one of them," she adds as an afterthought.

"Neither will patience or mercy at this rate," I protest, narrowing my eyes at her.

"I never knew they were in the first place," she replies, really on fire today.

Unable to beat her now, I let her take this small victory. "You just keep digging yourself a deeper hole, don't you?"

"Until you stop me, yes," she grins cheekily.

"Consider this as me officially stopping you then," I announce as I lightly shove her shoulder.

Her grin widens, but I can tell something is bothering her. There is a lot to worry about nowadays. Figuring that she needs some time to think and wouldn't appreciate me pressing too hard, I go back to my food. All I can do is be here for when she wants to talk.

* * *

**Ruby's POV - Later**

Deciding to go alone, I make my way to the nearby hospital where Uncle Qrow is staying for the time being. For a while, it looked like he might not make it. Needless to say, he's on the way to a full recovery. Tough as always. The last time I went to see him, he wasn't in the best state to talk. Now, he should be well enough.

I open the door to his room, smiling when he catches my eye. "Hi, Uncle Qrow. How are you?"

He grins back at me. "Ah look who it is, my lovely niece coming to pay me a visit. Not too bad. I've had worse hangovers than this." Something shifts in Qrow's red eyes, from humor to serious. "I'm glad you came by. There's something I need to discuss with you. I didn't want to overwhelm you with information before so I omitted some things about our circumstances. Now seems like as good a time as any. Don't want to have another near death experience before I have the chance to tell you everything."

I'm almost too scared to ask further, but my curiosity soon gets the better of me. "What do you mean, Uncle Qrow?"

He motions towards the chair by the bed and I sit down, waiting to see what he is going to say next. "You've heard of Silver Eyes before, but there's another power similar yet opposite. They call it Nightmare Eyes."

Already, I feel dread build up inside of me. "That sounds… ominous."

Qrow lets out a short, sharp laugh, grimacing a bit from pain as he agitates his wound. "That's one way of putting it. If silver-eyed warriors can combat Grimm… well, Nightmare Eyes is the counter. These people can draw the Grimm in with their aura, inspire their creation and control them, among other things. I suspect that Salem has this ability, or at least someone on her side does. Maybe both." He shudders at that possibility before continuing. "Unlike Silver Eyes, Nightmare Eyes isn't necessarily something you're born with. It can be done... artificially."

"Artificially?" I ask cautiously, suspecting that I won't like the answer.

He sighs tiredly before elaborating. "We don't know much about it, but what we _do_ know is… harrowing. A Grimm is involved in the process somehow. Presumably, the host merges with the Grimm and, well…"

That's more than enough for me to understand what he is getting at. "That sounds awful."

Qrow nods solemnly, carefully shifting on the bed to get more comfortable. He hates sitting around doing nothing like this. What other choice does he have? He needs time to recover. "Yeah, it is. From what we can guess, it would drive the majority of people mad. Hell, they might even lose themselves to the Grimm completely. Very few can handle it. The point is, the people who survive the process are _very_ dangerous."

"So, some people have survived then?"

"If you could call it that," he mutters to himself. "Thankfully, there aren't too many cases as far as we know. Dealing with one is more than enough trouble. Salem might try to create more of these hybrid beings... if she hasn't already, that is. That's what Ozpin suspected and he's nearly always right. If she's successful, well… we can kiss our asses goodbye."

The hopelessness of the situation slowly dawns on me. How can we even begin to fight this? Will the events at Beacon just repeat over and over again until there's nothing left? I won't let that happen. "What do we do?"

"Good question." He looks me directly in the eyes, very serious. "Firstly, keep you safe. The biggest threat to someone with Nightmare Eyes are those who possess Silver Eyes, or at least that makes sense. A huntress with such an ability really throws a spanner in the works where Grimm are involved.. That's why Salem sent her minions after you I suspect." He seems more uncertain as he presses on. Then… we try and work out if she does have one, or more of these nightmare-eyed monstrosities. If she does, we find a way to combat them. How… I don't know yet." Despite the bleak picture he has painted, he offers me a reassuring, lopsided smile. "Things might seem grim now, but we'll find a way."

I narrow my eyes suspiciously. "Was that supposed to be a pun?"

"Maybe," he replies noncommittally, but the stifled grin gives him away.

"Now I see where Yang gets it from…" I sigh, rolling my eyes melodramatically.

"You make it sound like a bad thing," he chuckles softly, wincing a little.

"Maybe I meant it to," I reply, sticking out my tongue.

Feigning a hurt look, he hangs his head slightly. "You come to see your sick uncle and all you do is ridicule him… what a cruel girl you are."

It's painfully clear that he is trying to mess with me. "Oh come on, you're barely sick anymore. You just put it on to get more attention from that poor doctor."

"I do not…" he protests, suddenly getting a thoughtful expression on his face, "although, having such a cute doctor around isn't a bad thing. Not a bad idea."

Unable to stop myself from reacting, I shake my head at his display. "You are impossible. First bar staff and now doctors…"

He just shrugs. "What can I say, I'm an ambitious guy."

"Uh-huh…"

"Seriously, Ruby, be careful out there," he mentions, looking genuinely concerned.

"I will," I promise as I give him a gentle hug and leave him to get some rest. Remnant has become a dangerous place and I've unwittingly been placed right in the center. All because of the color of my eyes.

* * *

Salem strolls the halls of her domain, mind filled with thoughts of her next moves. It has taken her years to begin mobilising her plans. Now, they are coming to fruition and seem to be working. Beacon had been the first real test. She enters a high-ceilinged room, immediately spotting Emerald and Mercury keeping guard as she had ordered. What they are guarding is crucial to her success.

"Ah, Salem," Mercury announces when her notices her presence. She has a bad habit of suddenly and silently appearing out of nowhere. "I think you'll find that everything's in order here."

Emerald glances over cautiously at Salem's latest experiment chained to the wall. Long, dark hair covers its face, skin pale and marked with healed scars. It looks human, could even sound and act human too when the situation called, but that isn't the case at all. It scares her, more than anything ever has before. Everything about this feels… wrong and unnatural. Having said that, she doesn't have much say in the matter. Better to stay on the right side of the fence, the one that won't get ripped to shreds.

"How is my pet doing?" Salem asks with a hint of teasing.

The human-grimm hybrid lifts its head, eyes a deep shade of violet as dark as the night sky without stars, a void. It bares its teeth and growls lowly, exposing the longer than normal canines. Some days, it appears more Grimm like than others, a constantly shifting state. The aura surrounding it is immensely destructive, an overwhelming desperation to rip and tear. Frightening doesn't do it justice.

A reserved yet twisted smile quirks at Salem's lips as she examines her latest creation. It has taken years to find a viable host to such a powerful Grimm and many more months for the process to reach completion. The other candidates, whether willing or forced, were unable to tame and control the beast inside them. Having more mindless cannon fodder was never a bad thing, but not what she had been aiming for. Now that she had found someone capable, the fun could _really_ begin.

If people think Remnant is in trouble now, they have no idea what is about to be unleashed.

* * *

**Yang's POV**

I speed down the roads on my motorbike, letting the wind whip through my hair. It's an exhilarating feeling, overriding the fear and anxiety that keeps trying to hold me back. Right now, all my troubles seem distant and trivial. If only they could stay that way… Adamant that I am going to cut loose and enjoy this small pleasure, I push back the uncertainty and pick up my pace. There is no feeling quite like letting go of your fear, even for a moment.

_Hang on, Ruby. I'm coming._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Yang is on her way and Salem is making her next moves. I will be adding a few other characters here and there. Have a great day and see you next time.


	3. Nil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Time to add another character to the mix.

**Chapter Three: Nil**

**Ruby's POV**

After visiting uncle Qrow, I head back to the inn. Weiss is waiting for me and she isn't the most patient person I have ever met. Understatement of the century. Just when I thought Yang had safely secured that title… A pang of loneliness shoots through me, hoping that my sister will turn up soon. This is the longest we have been apart ever and it's been much harder than I had anticipated. I knew it would difficult being apart from my family, but not this much. We can't even call each other. It's safe to say that we left on… awkward terms. If I know Yang, she won't want to sit still for longer than she has to.

Yang isn't the only thing I have to think about right now. My mind whirs with troubling information as I walk, wondering how we can defeat such powerful enemies. We failed once before, only managing to stop them temporarily … and at great cost. Now, I'm in even more danger and so are the people around me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to give up, far from it. Still, hope is in short supply right now. Uncle Qrow never fails to provide bad news. Then again, it's better to know what we're facing than going in blind. That would be a recipe for disaster.

At times like this, when my resolve is shaken, I wonder what Pyrrha would have said. Probably something inspiring. She might not be the best with words, her social skills lacking, but somehow she knew just what to say to encourage everyone. Jaune probably knew that better than anyone. It just wasn't fair. Pyrrha didn't deserve… A lump forms in my throat and I swallow hard, holding back the tears threatening to fall. Taking a deep, calming breath I press forward. Now is not the time for tears.

As I enter the room, Weiss looks over at me curiously. "You took your sweet time. So, what did Qrow have to say for himself?" She might not admit it, but I think she is just as worried about him as the rest of us. There is a heart beneath the icy exterior.

"Nothing good." I flop down beside her on the bed and begin to relay the information I have been told, watching Weiss' expression become more and more troubled. Nightmare Eyes, a power that can utilize the Grimm to the user's own ends… Just how much more complicated can this already complex situation get? Hopefully, this will be the last surprise we encounter, but I highly doubt it. Our journey so far has been nothing but surprises, not all good ones either.

"That… sounds bad," Weiss finally announces after processing the information. It isn't until now that I realize just how much she has matured, in both her appearance and behavior. Like me, I guess.

"You're telling me," I sigh deeply, running my fingers tiredly through my hair. Thinking about the things uncle Qrow told me, not just from today, makes our task seem nearly impossible.

Weiss must have noticed my concern, because I feel her hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't let them get you," she reassures, her expression surprisingly tender and comforting. During our time together, I've noticed a shift from icy contempt to something much warmer from her, especially since reuniting. It's definitely not my imagination. That much I know for certain.

"Oh, my knight in shining armor," I add with an amused smirk. "Come save me, the damsel in distress, who clearly cannot defend herself with her massive sniper scythe and kickass fighting skills."

Weiss nudges my shoulder, looking a little flustered at the comparison despite doing her best to hide that fact. "Cut it out, you weirdo."

Chuckling, I turn to her with an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Weiss. Really. It means a lot to know you have my back. Now more than ever."

She shrugs, trying hard to stifle the very obvious grin threatening to break out on her face, one that betrays her normally apathetic demeanor. "I would be a pretty bad teammate if I let you get taken. That's all."

"Uh-huh." I suspect it's more than that, not that I anticipate Weiss admitting it. As much as she has changed, not everything does.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she asks, her light blue eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Deciding to risk it, I reply honestly. "Even now you're acting like it's such a chore to be around me, but I know otherwise. Your act doesn't fool me."

The directness of my statement makes her falter, incomplete sentences sputtering from her lips. "I… you… urgh." She huffs, turning away from me.

"Wow, the great Weiss Schnee lost for words. Never thought I'd see the day. Can I get a commemorative photo?" I ask cheekily, reveling in the chaos.

For a few seconds, it appears as if she might retort back with an equally teasing comment. Instead, she looks me straight in the eyes, shaking her head resignedly. "You are impossible…"

I grin at her, just enjoying being able to mess around like this again with a highly valued friend. "You'd better believe it."

Weiss' expression softens considerably, "I guess I wouldn't have you any other way." I don't reply straight away, my jaw dropping a fraction at this confession. Weiss seems just as flustered as me, eyes widening in surprise at her own words. "I… you… just..." After a few seconds, she sighs deeply before clearing her throat. "Well, I think I've said enough about… that…"

When I can speak again, I break out into a huge grin. "Oh, I don't know about that. I think I could get used to hearing how much you don't want me to change."

Composing herself, Weiss switches back to her default indifference. "I'm sure you could, but it's not going to happen."

"We'll see, won't we?"

For the first time ever, I think Weiss is genuinely speechless and, dare I say it, embarrassed. No witty comebacks or snide remarks, just… vulnerability. I'm not used to seeing this kind of expression from her. Maybe I could, though.

* * *

Salem's Grimm-human has longed for the day when it could be released. Its Grimm side has been itching to cause havoc and chaos ever since merging, screaming for it so loudly that all other thoughts were overpowered. Now, that day is here. Finally…

It stretches out its hands, nails claw like and unkempt. First things first, sort out its appearance. It needs to look as human as possible, otherwise its options will be vastly limited. As it makes its way towards the bathroom to get cleaned up, it ponders something. It hasn't been given a name and can't remember what it used to be called, so it decides to name itself. Nil. A title befitting such an empty void as itself.

Happy enough with the name, Nil enters the bathroom and begins cleaning up. First, a shower. It steps inside, shrugging off the tattered clothes and letting the warm water hit its scar marked skin. There are shifting patches of black dotted against the paleness, few and far between for now. When the Grimm's influence increases, these areas grow and spread rapidly. Canines elongate and fingernails turn to sharp claws. Keeping it under control is a difficult task, one many have failed at. Nil often wonders just how many have succumbed during Salem's experiments. Whether Nil itself volunteered for the process or was forced. Who it used to be. She never answers. Not that it matters much anymore. The past is irrelevant.

Once clean, Nil grabs a pair of scissors and begins to hack at the mess of dark, long hair cascading from its shoulders. Now styled into a more manageable short style, it approaches the mirror by the sink and exposes its teeth. The canines are longer than normal for a human, much sharper too. After giving them a good clean and trimming back fingernails, Nil gets dressed. Salem provided new clothes, comfortable and battle ready. They are dark in color, armor plating fitting over the top. White and red, like Grimm, a mask covering the obvious void-like nightmare eyes - just in case anyone _did_ know about the power, which was a distinct possibility. Salem had told Nil that Ozpin may have known, just another reason to get rid of him. Or attempt to at least.

Ozpin's true fate, however, is not Nil's main concern. Its task is more urgent than dealing with a supposedly dead man. The focus of its attention is much more immediate. A huntress with a power strong enough to combat Nil's. Ruby Rose. Not even an adult and barely a half-trained huntress, she has managed to royally mess up Salem's carefully laid out plans. Theoretically, it should have been impossible. There has been a slight complication not compensated for… Silver Eyes – a rare and dangerous power capable of totally obliterating Grimm – as events at Beacon had shown.

So far, Ruby has evaded capture. Again, something that should never have happened… and yet it had. Time and time again, the young girl has been underestimated. A mistake Nil will not make. Salem grows increasingly frustrated with failure and will not entertain it for much longer. Additionally, the Grimm side of Nil can sense the danger of Ruby's ability, demanding blood. So long as she remains alive, there is always a significant threat of defeat. Alone, she might not be much of a problem. She has yet to master her ability as far as Salem can tell. While diminished, her allies still exist and have the will to fight. All the more reason to destroy every single shred of hope. A sense of agreement radiates from the Grimm presence, followed swiftly by a desire for death and destruction.

Done speculating, Nil grabs the weapon Salem had provided, a zweihander/rifle combo. The sword feels oddly familiar, yet at the same time different. Sheathing it, Nil strides out towards the building's exit. Dark eyes glow slightly as it leaves, the haunting howling of nearby Grimm echoing around the otherwise silent forest.

Time to see how quickly hope gave way to despair.

* * *

**Yang's POV – A Few Days Later**

My bike screeches to a halt at a refill station, the fuel meter running low. The journey from Vale to Mistral is a long one, divided by water. I have nearly reached that point, ready to cross over into uncharted territory. There is still a way to go, but at least it feels like I'm making progress. Better than lying in bed all day, feeling sorry for myself at any rate. I've done that for long enough. There are more important things to be doing with my time, like helping Ruby. She has a heavy burden on her shoulders and needs all the hep she can get. Also… I need to apologize for being so cold to her before she left. Hopefully, she can forgive me.

Sighing, I finish up re-fueling and rev up the engine, listening to it roar before continuing on my way.

* * *

**Blake's POV**

My search for the White Fang has led me to Mistral. After Beacon, it seems the next target is Haven Academy, from what I can piece together at least. Admittedly, it's not been easy… especially without the rest of team RWBY. I wince at the thought of my old teammates, guilt flooding me. At the time, I had been so convinced that leaving was the 'right' choice, or at least the easiest one. Now, I'm so sure. Unfortunately, it's too late to regret. They must hate me now and I wouldn't blame them. Especially Yang…

With a sigh, I push those thoughts aside and focus on the task at hand… the White Fang threat. If they are left to their own devices, who knows what will happen. They are a dangerous force to be reckoned with. I should know. Since I used to be a part of the group, it feels like my responsibility to clean up this particular mess. As much as I despise Adam Taurus, I have to admit that he is an effective and ruthless leader, able to make people believe almost anything. For a while, I had been under his spell… but not any longer. His vision of victory is not peaceful coexistence. Far from it. Beacon proved that… My fists clench at the thought of Beacon, tears stinging at my eyes.

Now is not the time to think about the past.

Swallowing hard, I stifle the guilt and stride purposefully forward, not really paying attention to my surroundings. This is my first time in Mistral, but I can hardly enjoy sight-seeing. Not under the circumstances. Everyone is on edge, that much is painfully clear as I walk down the streets, watching them eye each other up with suspicion. I don't blame them in the slightest. After all the rumors spreading around like wildfire, how could they feel safe? One problem, Grimm are drawn towards negative emotions - suspicion, fear, despair and hatred to name but a few. Cities such as Mistral have become magnets for Grimm activity, hordes moving ever closer to the center. As bravely as guards, hunters and huntresses fight to defend the city, it's only a matter of time before the Grimm inevitably break through. Something has to change, and soon.

That's why I'm here, trying to make a small difference. Even if it only buys us all a little more time, that's something. Better than what we have now. I suspect that others are also working towards a similar goal, maybe with a more coherent plan. Maybe we're all just clutching at straws. Either way, I can't afford to sit around and do nothing. None of us can. What we need now is decisive action. Words won't help us, not anymore. Grimm can't be reasoned with, and neither can our enemy from the looks of it. A peaceful solution is not possible. Maybe it never was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we'll leave it there for now I think. Have a great day and see you next time.


	4. Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this chapter will jump around a little. So, the first part follows on from last time. The second part (Weiss' bit) follows directly on from the Ruby section last time (a few days prior), and the last two parts continue from the normal timeline of events. Hope that's clear enough.

**Chapter Four: Destiny**

**Forest**

Wind rustles the thick canopy of leaves, carrying with it so many different scents, some from within the forest itself and others from nearby villages. They all intermingle, leaving their own trail. The ground is littered with broken branches and tracks from various woodland animals… and some Grimm. Some tree trunks have deep scratches in them and an ominous atmosphere hangs over the forest. The number of shadowy beasts has increased significantly over the past few months. Recent events have inspired their creation, fear and anger being two such negative emotions Grimm are drawn to.

Night has long since fallen, shrouding the forest in a dark cloak, yet the forest doesn't sleep. Far from it. Some creatures don't sleep. They prowl, searching for something to destroy. Nil being such a creature. Having given into its Grimm side before nightfall to speed up the journey, it runs on all fours like a beast. Pale skin shifts to black and its appearance becomes increasingly more wolf-like as it rushes through the forest. Nil has been merged with a special type of Grimm, like a Beowolf but much stronger and deadlier, created just for one purpose… to catch Little Red Riding Hood, a huntswoman in her own right. Salem's sense of humor. This time, the story would not end so well for her.

Grinning, sharp canines bared, it picks up pace. It can sense the other Grimm, from Ursa to Beowolves and several Nevermores swooping overhead, all drawn to Nil's presence like a magnet… or beacon. That thought makes Nil's mind wander to Beacon Academy, to its fall more specifically. People like Ozpin put so much faith in huntstresses and huntsmen, relied on them more than he should, and see where that got him. Death. Not just his…

Pausing to take a breather at a clearing, Nil approaches a small stream of running water. The other Grimm stop too, all waiting like the good, mindless soldiers they are. When Nil peers over the clear, crystalline liquid it can see itself, the moonlight illuminating the surface just enough to provide a reflection. Its face has morphed ever so slightly, eyes brighter and more predatory, still dark pools of violet. Since it's unlikely that Nil will meet anyone this deep in the forest, there is no need to hide them. Old scars show up more like this, so many running along the patchy skin. Some parts are harder than others, white as bone and slightly protruding from the black areas. Nails turn claw-like, extending from fingers. The sight would terrify most. One of Salem's other play things, Emerald, seemed scared of Nil. Mercury, not so much or he managed to hide it better.

Eyes noticing movement, Nil snatched at the water, reflexes lightning quick, grabbing a fish with ease. Stomach rumbling, it tucks in without hesitation, ripping flesh from bone until the fish has been picked clean. After crunching the bones to dust, using one to pick at its teeth, it sits by the stream lapping at the cold water to quench its thirst. Letting the meal digest, Nil lies on its back, looking up at the sky. There is a hole in the trees' canopy here, stars visible. The Grimm follow suite in resting, waiting patiently.

When Nil gets closer to civilization, it must retract this Grimm appearance to blend in. As well as ditch the followers for just a little while. They will be waiting in the forest for further instruction. For the time being, however, Nil could embrace and unleash the beast. Even after months of acclimatization, the Grimm presence still hasn't completely merged, it probably never will, so Nil doesn't have total control. Enough to keep it at bay, though.

Not that it matters. So long as it helps to achieve Nil's task. How… that can be left up to destiny.

* * *

**A Few Days Earlier - Weiss' POV**

A few moments later, Ren and Nora put in an appearance. They too seem surprised and happy to see me, drawing me into a huge hug despite my grumbled protests. It's nice to see my friends again, not just from team RWBY. I didn't realize how much they all meant to me until I left them behind… not by choice, of course. I wonder if Blake is feeling the same way I did. Isolated. Sure, she left of her own accord, but that doesn't mean she wanted to per se. She was probably just scared and guilty, not wanting to face Yang after… after… well, things went south. As we've all seen, her answer to problems is run.

"Where did Jaune go?" Nora asks curiously, looking around the room like she expects him to be hiding or to just appear out of thin air.

"He… wanted to train," Ruby explains, hanging her head slightly. "Haven't seen him for a while."

Ren nods, understanding the meaning behind her words. "I see. Maybe I should go check on him."

"Let me come too," Nora insists with her usual energetic enthusiasm.

He chuckles softly at her, sighing resignedly. "I could try to stop you, but it seems pointless."

"Damn right it is!" Nora exclaims gleefully, grinning at her victory.

I glance over at Ruby, who seems reluctant to jump on the bandwagon. No wonder after how things with Pyrrha played out. I get the feeling things are still a little awkward between her and Jaune. Not wanting to force the issue or leave her alone with her thoughts, I turn back to Nora and Ren. "We'll leave it to you then."

"We'll be back before you know it," Nora promises cheerfully as she all but pulls Ren out of the room. He doesn't protest, just doing his best to keep his balance.

"They've definitely gotten closer," I observe, trying to distract Ruby. Sure, they had been close when I left, but this feels different.

Ruby manages a smile. "Yeah, I didn't think it was possible. Guess I was wrong, huh?"

I return her smile. "It seems so. No-one's perfect."

"Unless your name is Weiss Schnee, right?" Ruby asks, amused as she predicts my next few words.

"I wasn't going to say that. I don't have to. It's a well-known fact," I state confidently.

"Never change, Weiss." The way she says that coupled with how she is looking at me makes my brain cut out for just a moment. She seems so… intense. Not in a bad way. Confusing, yes, bad… no.

"Wha- where'd that come from?" I stutter, trying to compose myself and battling the slight flush threatening to creep onto my face.

Her eyes only intensify as she explains, never once leaving mine. "Lots of things are changing, all the time, and… I don't want _you_ to change beyond recognition. I mean, I don't mind that you've become friendlier, far from it, but I don't want to see you lose that…" she pauses for a moment, contemplating her words, "…spark that is Weiss Schnee."

Curious by what she means, I decide to press for more information. "And what _does_ make up that spark?"

A flicker of mischief enters her eyes as she answers. "Well, arrogant superiority for one…" Quickly regretting the attempt at humor when she sees my expression, she holds her hands up in surrender. "Hey, don't hit me. I'm joking."

"You'd better come up with another answer quick, or else," I playfully threaten. This has become more of a game for us than genuine annoyance.

"Or else… what?" She pushes, trying her luck.

I narrow my eyes at her, crossing my arms. "Want to risk that?"

She offers me a sheepish grin, backing off for now. "Not really. Let's see…" she seems to be really thinking about her answer, compiling a list in her head, "…well, despite first appearances, you're actually pretty loyal and surprisingly friendly when you want to be and once someone gets past the cold exterior. While you might insult me, I know you don't mean it nastily. Not really. Maybe more…" she hesitates, struggling to find the right word, "…affectionate, in a weird way. At least, recently."

"You do just realize that you used my name and 'affectionate' in the same sentence, right?" I point out, not sure how to feel about it. Part of me is… happy, no, more than that. Another part, nervous.

"What, am I wrong?" Ruby asks, her voice quieter all of a sudden, almost anxious. Seems I'm not the only one.

"I never said that, just…" I briefly scan my memories, trying to find one instance where anyone has used the term in relation to me, coming up blank, "…nobody's ever used that word to describe me before."

"I can see why…" Ruby adds cheekily, unable to help herself.

"Hey! I am still this close to hitting you, just remember that." I indicate with my index finger and thumb the very slight amount of patience I have left, or pretend to have left for her, at least.

She waves her hands in front of her, trying to save herself. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. Seriously though, you're a genuinely good person, Weiss. Despite your best attempts to sabotage that image, that's what I think," Ruby finishes, sounding about as confident as I have ever heard from her.

"Maybe you're just delusional." I don't know if I'd class myself as a 'good' person necessarily. I can be pretty selfish and conniving when I want something, mean too. Not your typical traits used to characterize 'good' people.

"There you go again, trying to make yourself out as the bad guy. You might think I'm stupid for believing that, I don't mind, but I know it's true. I've seen it." The way Ruby's looking at me right now, so gentle and trusting, leaves me feeling conflicted.

Sometimes, I just can't quite figure her out. And maybe that's okay.

* * *

**A Few Days Later - Yang's POV**

Finally, I have made it to Mistral. It's been a long, arduous journey, but I'm here. Sighing in relief as I enter the main city, I make my way to the location Ruby specified. Mistral wasn't quite what I had been expecting, but maybe part of that had something to do with the dire situation we have all found ourselves in. Sighing lightly, I press ahead to the inn. When I enter inside, the atmosphere is a little darker than would typically be expected of an inn. I guess I can't blame them. Already knowing the room number, I go upstairs and find the door, knocking confidently. I hear shuffling and muffled voices before the door opens.

A familiar face appears before me, silver eyes filled with slow acting realization and delight, red hair framing her baby face. Although, she does seem older now. We stand there for a second, just looking at one another, taking in the reality. After months of separation, we have finally been reunited.

"Sis!" Ruby exclaims, nearly slipping over her own feet and face planting onto the floor as she ploughs into to me for a hug. That makes Weiss snicker, unable to stifle the laugh.

"Whoa, steady on," I chuckle as she bowls into me, knocking my balance off just a fraction. I manage to shuffle us inside enough to close the door. "Guess you missed me, huh?"

Then Ruby does something I'm not prepared for… she starts to cry. "Yeah, yeah I did. A lot. I'm so glad you're okay," she chokes between sobs.

Stunned for a few seconds, I shake myself back to reality and wrap my arms around her, hugging tight. Not _too_ tight mind you. I still have a lot to work out with my new arm, how much pressure to apply in different situations. "Hey, it's okay. I'm okay, Ruby. Listen, I'm sorry for the way I was when you left. I didn't mean to make you feel sad. I… wasn't in a good place, not an excuse, I know."

"It doesn't matter now, Yang. We're good." She swipes at her eyes, grinning as she pulls away.

After the heart-warming family reunion, I approach the bed, smirking at Weiss as I stretch out my arms. "Someone's looking jealous. Want a hug too?"

To my surprise, she stands up and hesitantly accepts my offer. Not knowing what to do with my arms, I finally place them around her thin frame, returning the hug. I guess she really _was_ worried about me. That realization brings tears to my own eyes. Soon Ruby joins the group hug and we're all crying. A lot has happened to us, especially over the past few months, but also ever since we all started out at Beacon. Being together again only reminds us of that fact.

When we finally break apart, we all do our best to compose ourselves. Not as easy a task as I would have hoped. Ruby offers me a watery grin as we pile onto the bed. "It's good to have you back, Yang."

"I suppose I agree," Weiss mentions, almost back to normal now. She does have good control over her emotions when she wants to. I realize that she's probably had years of practice.

"Aw, shucks, don't I feel welcome?" I grin, nudging Weiss' shoulder playfully. "Guess the Ice Queen can't be _all_ that bad, despite the stories."

She scowls at me, sneakily grabbing a pillow and whopping me in the face. Not one to back down from a challenge, I return fire and a full-on pillow fight breaks out. Ruby joins in when she realizes it's pointless to try and break us apart. We need this, time to just mess around and chill out.

Still, as nice as it might feel to be reunited with my sister and friend, even with the three of us here team RWBY is far from complete. There is still one person missing…

* * *

**Blake's POV**

My efforts to uncover the White Fang's operations in Mistral have had limited success. As usual, I didn't really think my plan through beyond finding the group. Still, I couldn't just sit around and do _nothing_. Undeterred, I continue down the streets, sticking to the shadows. Despite the lack of communication, some people have already begun to speculate White Fang involvement. They have good reason to. For safety's sake, I've hidden my ears again and try to keep out of sight… a skill of mine. Running and hiding.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I press forward. Since coming here, I've overheard a few conversations that may point me in the right direction. People who may know things. I hope…Turning the corner, I pick up my pace. Maybe it's paranoia but I don't feel safe. Then again, maybe it's not unfounded. Nobody is safe anymore.

I've been so absorbed in my own thoughts that I haven't been paying attention to where my feet carried me. I find myself near the market place in the center of Mistral. Somewhere down the line, I have turned myself around. Cursing under my breath, I turn to leave. _Focus, Blake. You need to keep on track. No time for daydreaming._

"Blake…" The incredulous voice cuts through my thought like a hot knife through butter. I turn at the sound of my name, confused at first then shocked at the sight before me. Stood there are three painfully familiar people, my teammates. At the forefront is the one person I never wanted to face again for fear of guilt… Yang Xiao Long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will the reunion go? Find out next time.


	5. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back for some cliffhanger resolution.

**Chapter Five: Reunion**

**Blake's POV**

We stand there, staring at one another like we've seen some rare, mystical beast. Or a ghost. For Yang, that's what I must seem like after I bailed on her so suddenly without even so much as a goodbye. Abandoned her and betrayed her trust. Hurt her, both physically - be it indirectly - and emotionally. As much as I want to run away from it all, give into my cowardly nature, my feet refuse to move, rendering me frozen to the spot. As for Ruby and Weiss, they look about as surprised as I feel. There are no words to describe how I truly feel, but if I had to pick three… relieved that my friends are okay, guilty at what they have been through because of me and scared, in that order. Scared of them hating me, Yang most of all.

As I stare at her, fearful to look directly into her eyes, but also finding it impossible to ignore her steely gaze, I can't tell exactly what she's thinking right now. While her expression remains stoic and hard to read, I can make a good guess. Her eyes tell me enough when I pluck up the courage to look, betraying the forced calm and revealing her cycling confliction. The tense silence is killing me. This is the moment I have been dreading ever since leaving. One I never thought I would have to face die to cowardice, if I'm honest. That fear has only gotten worse the longer I leave it. Now, I feel like I might explode from the overwhelming unease.

Why did I leave in the first place? Because I didn't want to face… this. The truth. A friend was hurt and nearly killed, all because of me. No, not a friend, more than that. That's what makes it so much worse. I don't really know how to classify mine and Yang's relationship, if it can even be called that now, but it's different from a friend. That much I know with unwavering certainty. The flickers of pain in her lilac eyes and the way I feel now proves that much.

My amber eyes wander down to her arm, feeling the guilt hit me with immense force when I notice the metal replacement. A permanent reminder that it's all my fault, that Yang deserves better...

* * *

**Yang's POV**

I almost can't believe my eyes. Blake is standing there, right in front of me. The girl I have been hurting over for the past few months… right there. Close enough to touch. No warning, just appearing out of thin air. For a time, I can't speak or even think. Nothing makes sense... and maybe I don't want it to. Not if it means that this is a figment of my imagination. My mind has tormented me enough. I thought I had worked through all my pain and resentment, but it seems not. Old wounds open up as I stare at her, bringing with it all the heartache. A torrent of conflicting emotions wash over me, disbelief, joy and, finally, anger being the most prominent. How could she do this to me? After everything we've been through…

Unable to remain silent any longer I take a step towards her, watching her cower but not run. If she had tried, I probably would've given chase, tackled her if I had to. There is no way I am letting her leave again. Not until I get answers at the very least. We stand there, sizing each other up and waiting to see who will make the first move. Turns out it's me.

"Firstly," I draw my left hand back and slap Blake across the cheek, hard. Before she has the chance to react, I continue. "Secondly…" Unable to stop myself, I violently grab onto her and pull her into a fierce hug. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing running off like that? You worried me sick. I thought…" My voice falters, all manner of terrible outcomes running through my mind. I shake them off as I pull away, determined to find answers. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Glancing away from my demanding gaze, Blake looks pleadingly over at Ruby and Weiss. The Atlas princess purposefully turns her head, totally ignoring the plea for help. Ruby, on the other hand, simply smiles sheepishly and shrugs. She knows as well as I do that there is nothing she can do to help. Blake is on her own in this.

"I'm… sorry," the dark haired faunus mutters softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

Those two words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me winded. "Sorry, huh? Sorry…" The frustration flares up again, my fists clenching. "That's all you have to say. Two words." I know that my eyes must be flashing a menacing shade of red, like they always do when I'm angry. I am so… frustrated with her right now and can't control it.

Blake winces, not used to being the object of my rage. "No, no that's not it. I just…"

"Maybe we should, uh, relocate?" Ruby suggests cautiously, motioning with her head towards the crowd forming to witness this domestic drama.

Scowling at the crowd, I grab hold of Blake's wrist and roughly pull her along. Ruby and Weiss exchange glances and follow a short distance behind us. Just enough so they could be alerted of a fight but far enough away not to get caught in the middle by accident. Blake lets herself get dragged along, stumbling every now and then. Eventually, we make it to the inn where Ruby has been staying. I refuse to let go of Blake's wrist as I pull her up the stairs. Ruby and Weiss hang back, not sure if they should enter the room or not.

"I need to have a word with Blake. Alone." From my tone, it's clear that this isn't up for debate.

Seeing no reason to argue, my sister nods. "Sure, yeah totally cool with me."

"If you must," Weiss huffs, not resisting my request.

Regardless of what they had said here, I would do it anyway and there would be no way to stop me. Not paying them a second thought, I drag Blake into the room behind me, slamming the door shut. Even when we make it into the room, I still hold on tight to her wrist, my hand beginning to shake slightly now. I have no idea where to start. I'm _scared_ to find out where this will lead.

"Yang, I…" Blake begins hesitantly as I finally let go of her.

I hold my hand up to silence her, feeling bad when she winces. Does she think I'm going to hit her again? "Look, before you say anything… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have slapped you. That was wrong of me."

"I think I deserved that much," she admits guiltily, hanging her head as her ears droop.

A cascade of questions flood my mind as I pace. I find it difficult to separate them all and choose which is the most pressing. "Why? Why did you leave?"

After some time, she finally answers my question. "I was... scared. I still am."

"Of what?" I ask, sounding angrier than I wanted to, my expression softening when Blake winces again. I don't want to make her feel guiltier than she already is, but I can't just accept and forgive like that… as much as I might want to.

"Of you hating me. I know it's stupid, but…" Her words are cut off as I pull her into another bone-crushing hug.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid…" I whisper in her ear, voice faltering. "That's what you are, Blake. Stupid…" This last word is lost to a wracking sob, tears flowing freely now as I grip on tight.

Clearly not knowing to do with her arms, Blake doesn't move at first. Nor does she pull away. A few seconds later, I feel her returning my hug just as fiercely. "I know."

We stay like that for a while, confirming that this moment is in fact real. That we are both really here. For now, I forget the resentment and focus on the positive side. Blake is here. Not an illusion or dreams. This is as real as it gets.

"So… where _were_ you hiding?" I ask when we break apart, trying to make the question as calm and non-accusatory as possible… with limited success.

Blake ignores the accusation in my voice, answering simply. "I went to Menagerie to meet with my parents. To warn them. They're planning to take over the White Fang again, by force if they have to."

"Why are you here then?" I ask, genuinely confused. If she wants to battle the White Fang, surely she should have stayed in Menagerie. Unless...

Before I have the chance to ask, she responds. "The White Fang have… connections in Mistral. Surprise, surprise. Maybe even to Haven Academy itself."

"Guess I have to be thankful to the White Fang for something…" I can't help but add bitterly. Blake flinches at that, remembering the incident with Adam at Beacon all too clearly. I sigh deeply, feeling bad all over again. "Sorry, that came out all wrong… I sound like a total jerk, huh?"

"Better than actually being one," Blake mutters self-depreciatively.

"I won't argue there…" Tired of feeling bitter, I run my fingers through my hair. "Look, I'm still annoyed at you, but… you can't believe how happy I am to see you again."

"Me too," she is quick to add, speaking at a million miles an hour. "I really was a stupid jerk for leaving, and I understand if you can't ever forgive me, but…"

I place a finger on her lips, cutting her off. "Shh… just take it a step at a time. True, I don't think I can forgive you right now." That makes her expression turn resigned as she bows her head. My heart drops and I shake my head, gently lifting her chin so she's looking at me again. "Doesn't mean I won't ever. Give me time, okay?"

"Okay," Blake agrees softly as I pull her into another hug. I want to forgive her and go back to how things were before, so desperately, but the wounds are still too raw. For now, this is enough.

* * *

**Ruby's POV**

While we wait for Yang and Blake to do… whatever it is they have to do, Weiss and I enter the other room where Ren and Nora have been staying. Both me and Jaune agreed that it was best to leave them to it since there weren't any rooms big enough for the four of us and it worked out cheaper to share. We sit on one of the single beds, waiting on tenterhooks.

"How do you think Yang and Blake are getting on?" I ask, getting a little worried. Yang was understandably angry when she saw Blake. Hopefully, she won't take it too far. As much as I love my sister, she can get ahead of herself, does and says things she regrets On a regular basis due to angry outbursts. I know Blake means a lot to her.

"Well, I don't think I've heard any smashing yet, so better than expected," Weiss observes. In all fairness, she does have a point.

I relax a little with the reassurance. "At least team RWBY is back together again. That's something."

Weiss smiles fondly, our eyes meeting. "You can't keep us away from one another for too long, it seems."

"I wish I could say it feels like old times, but…" I hesitate, not sure how to finish that thought.

Helpfully, she provides an ending. "It's not."

I nod solemnly. "Right, it's not."

"Fairy tale endings don't come so easily, right?" Weiss reminds me of my own words with a small smile.

Thankful for the reminder, I return her smile. "Exactly. Glad to see we're still on the same page."

"It'd be nice to skip to the page where we defeat the enemy and ride off into the sunset sometime soon," she mentions hopefully.

I feel the same way, but know it probably won't happen so easily. There is still so much that could go wrong. "Agreed. We're getting there… slowly. You can't rush a good story. You know how these things go. The hero struggles through a ton of hardship before saving the kingdom and getting the girl in the end. Classic."

My words seem to pique Weiss' interest, well… one in particular. "Oh, really? Who's the 'girl' in your situation then?"

"Who said I was the hero?" I protest weakly, realizing my mistake all too late. Somehow, I get the feeling that I won't be worming my way out of this. Still, trying can't hurt. "I was just giving a generic model."

"Come on, Ruby. It's gotta be you." She gently shoves my shoulder to get my attention. "The girl with the special power, gallivanting around and saving the day. So, I'll ask again, who's this 'girl'?" She insists, icy blue eyes intent and curious, maybe a little hopeful too.

Swallowing, I gather my thoughts. Do I listen to my head or my heart in this situation? Lie or… tell the truth. Something tells me that Weiss already suspects the truth. Or maybe she's just messing with me. Only one way to find out…

Just as I am about to answer the door opens, Yang entering inside first with Blake following close behind her. The faunus' cheek is still a little pink from the slap earlier. I wince imagining how much it must hurt. Yang sure doesn't hold back and doesn't know her own strength sometimes.

My sister halts in her tracks, eyes narrowing suspiciously as she shifts her attention between the two of us. "What's with the tense atmosphere in here? We're you two fighting or…?"

"No," we answer in unison before she can finish that thought, both sounding, and probably looking, guilty as hell.

"You look like you're up to something…" Blake adds, crossing her arms.

Quick to change the subject, Weiss and I stand up, pulling both Yang and Blake into a warm group hug. They accept it almost immediately, tightening the embrace. Finally, team RWBY are back together again. When we break apart a few moments later, Weiss shoots me a look, telling me that she hadn't forgotten our little discussion or her question that still needs an answer. I exhale deeply, feeling my heartbeat at a million times an hour.

Question is, will I have the chance, or courage, to admit it next time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue evil laughter* Sorry, couldn't help myself.


	6. Wavering Resolve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Here's the next chapter for you.

**Chapter Six: Wavering Resolve**

**Ruby's POV**

Now that Yang and Blake have returned and we've gotten all the heartfelt reunion out of the way, we get down to business.

"So, what's next?" Blake asks, pulling us back on track.

After briefing her about what we have been getting up to, I give her a run down of our next moves. "Well, we've talked with Professor Lionheart about the, uh… situation. He told us he's here to help and is looking into a few things for us."

"What's uncle Qrow doing?" Yang asks, sounding a little suspicious.

"This is uncle Qrow we're talking about, so… who knows." I shrug, honestly not knowing. Working our uncle out is difficult at the best of times.

Weiss frowns hearing that. "He wouldn't tell you?"

"I haven't had the chance to ask." With everything going on, first meeting up with Weiss, then Yang coming along and all, not to mention whatever uncle Qrow has been doing, it's been nearly impossible to talk about plans.

"Seems like the best place to start," Blake adds, deep in thought.

"It would, wouldn't it?" A gruff voice asks. We all turn around, seeing uncle Qrow standing in the doorway and smirking, arms crossed as he leans against the frame.

"Uncle Qrow…" I begin, my sentence getting lost to silence. I didn't even hear him until now. How long has he been there?

He stands up straight, approaching us. "I figured you might want to talk to me again, know what I've been up to and all."

Blake stares at him, giving a reserved smile. "Guess he's more informed than we thought."

"So, what _have_ you been up to?" Yang presses impatiently.

He chuckles at her insistence. "Straight to business, huh? Alright, it's best if I show you. I have someone for you to meet. Oscar, come say hi."

After a moment or two, a young boy appears in front of us. Tan skin, freckles dotted across his face and dark, messy locks skirting hazel eyes. He seems nervous like he'd rather be anywhere else. Immediately, he stares down at the floor, scuffing his feet.

"Who's this supposed to be?" Weiss asks, unimpressed.

Qrow puts his hand on the young boy's shoulder, firmly pulling him closer. "This is Oscar Pine, one of our last and only hopes against Salem. Save for Ruby, of course."

My eyes dart immediately to the cane Oscar is holding, a black shaft with a silver handle gears embedded near the bottom. It's painfully familiar. "Wait… is that…?"

Qrow follows my eyes, knowing exactly what I'm about to say before I finish my question. "Ozpin's cane? Yeah, it is. 'Why does he have it?', you're no doubt about to ask. Well, think of him as Ozpin's successor."

Weiss frowns at the young boy, scrutinizing him. "How old is he? Twelve?"

"Fourteen, actually," Oscar corrects, speaking for the first time.

Weiss waves away his correction. "Whatever, he's just a kid. How can he do anything to help?"

"And you're not?" Qrow replies, calm yet tired. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, I thought that too, kind of still do if I'm honest, but I trust Ozpin."

I stare at the young boy and he stares back, clearly nervous. He might not look like much, then again neither do I. "I… I trust him too."

"After what happened at Beacon, what happened to Pyrrha, you still trust Ozpin?" Weiss asks incredulously, unable to help herself. Her expression falters as she speaks Pyrrha's name, immediately regretting it. "He was supposed to keep us all safe, train us up. Not put us in danger."

Her words make my heart ache. My response comes out much softer than I had first anticipated. "Trust's all we have right now, Weiss."

That shuts Weiss right up. Without another word, she leaves. Oscar watches her go, letting out a sigh of relief and looking a little more relaxed now she isn't eyeing him up.

"Don't worry about her. She's like that with everyone," Yang reassures, knowing from experience.

"She's not wrong… what can I do? I'm nobody special," he mumbles, dejected and disheartened.

Shaking his head, Qrow leans against the wall, crossing his arms. "I don't know about that, kid. We'll figure it all out, don't worry."

Taking a step forward, I hold out my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Oscar. I'm Ruby." He eyes it up warily before accepting the handshake. "This is my sister, Yang and my friend, Blake." I motion towards them respectively.

"And that delightful princess who just left is Weiss Schnee." Yang grins cheekily. With Weiss out of the room, there is no fear of retribution for such comments.

"Schnee? As in the dust company?" Oscar chimes in curiously.

"The very same," Blake confirms.

Yang's grin only widens. "You've met royalty today, or so she'd like to think."

"Yang…" I sigh, not wanting her to instill fear in Oscar. Weiss might be… overzealous with her judgment, but that's just one small side of her.

Yang preemptively waves away my protests. "Yeah, yeah, she's not all that bad. Her bark's worse than her bite."

"It's often the same with people like her," Qrow mentions, seeming to have some experience. "I've met a few in my time. Weiss ain't the worst, trust me on that."

I turn to Oscar again, smiling encouragingly. "She grows on you."

"I…" he stops himself, sighing, "...if you say so."

"Right, now introductions are out of the way, I have to go and sort some things out. Come on, Oscar." Qrow leaves the room, Oscar in toe. "We'll catch up and discuss our next moves soon girls."

"Well, he seemed shy," Yang observes once they have left.

"With Weiss around, can you blame him?" Blake shrugs, stating the obvious.

"Speaking of… I'd best go see how she's doing." I stand up, worried about her. She only ever really acts like this when something is bothering her. That much I found out the hard way.

Yang nods approvingly. "Better you than us. She probably won't bite your head off the second she senses your presence. Unlike me."

Nodding, I leave the room and go looking for her.

* * *

**Blake's POV**

Ruby leaves the room to go and find Weiss, leaving me and Yang alone again.

"That went well," I sigh, running my fingers through dark locks.

Yang shuffles on the bed, crossing her legs. "It sure did."

I turn to her, curious to get her opinion on things. "What do you think about all this?"

She thinks it over for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "I think that together we can do this."

That's exactly the kind of answer I had been expecting from her. "I hope so."

"What, are you _agreeing_ with Weiss now?" Yang teases, playfully pushing my shoulder. This is what I missed the most, just messing around with her. I'm so stupid...

"No chance, I just…" The sentence hangs in the air, unfinished. I don't know what to think.

"Feel overwhelmed?" Yang suggests finishing the sentence.

I nod. That's as good a word as any. "Yeah, I guess. Doesn't mean I'm about to give up. I do think we need to be careful, though."

"Running head first into a fight doesn't usually end well." Yang sighs, looking down at her arm, which serves as proof enough for that statement.

Guilt grips at my heart and, in that moment, I realize there is something I've forgotten to say to her. Something important. "Yang… thank you. I've said sorry a few times, but not that. You saved me, even though it put you in danger, and I'm grateful. Even of I don't deserve-"

She cuts me off before I have the chance to continue. "Uh-uh, don't start that. If I could go back, I'd do the same. Maybe get a good punch in first, though. So, please don't ever say that again." She puts her hand on my arm, looking straight into my eyes. Her voice is low, yet confident. "You are more than worth saving, Blake."

"Okay, I won't," I promise, putting my hand over hers. In that moment, I make a silent vow to both myself and Yang. Whatever happens next, I won't run away.

* * *

  **Weiss' POV - Courtyard**

After frustratedly storming out of the conversation, I stamp off to the courtyard at the back of the inn. Sitting on a bench, I huff and cross my arms, feeling angry… and worried about our future. We're just blindly stumbling around, pinning our hopes on teens. Nobody knows what's going on and the one person who might have, Ozpin, is gone, leaving the rest of us to clean up his mess. My shoulders slump and head hangs as I let out a deep sigh. What are we supposed to do? It's all well and good saying we have to fight, but how?

I suddenly notice movement and hear shuffling at the edge of the courtyard, shaking my head when I realize who it is. A distinct flash of red and rose petals. "Are you trying to sneak up on me?"

"Not really, no. Just…" Ruby hesitates as she steps out from behind a tree, not sure of what she wants to say.

I save her the trouble of having to finish her sentence. "Sorry about… earlier. I didn't mean to, well…"

Cautiously, Ruby sits down beside me. "It's fine."

That is the very last word I would use to describe our situation. "No, Ruby, it's not. What are we even doing? Fighting a war we didn't start. We're in way over our heads." Instead of interrupting like I expected, she lets me finish. "Look at us. We're a bunch of inexperienced teenagers. Pyrrha was probably the strongest of us all and she… How are we going to make a difference?"

Silence hangs between us. Just as I think it will last forever, Ruby speaks again, "Weiss, look at me… please." Reluctantly, I lift my head, staring into those all too familiar silver eyes. "Things might seem impossible now, and that's okay. It won't be easy, I have no delusions about that, but we _have_ to do this. Sure, we've lost a hell of a lot, friends included, but we'll only lose more if we roll over and take it lying down."

I know we have little choice, but that doesn't help much. "I'm just… scared, Ruby. I don't want anyone else to die." I frown, hating the mental images that come to mind now. "I don't want _you_ to die. Yet here you are, at the center of it all. Salem is coming for you, we don't know where she is, what she has planned or What she'll do to you if she gets her hands on you. And… and…" I let out a long, drawn out sigh. "I don't know anymore…"

A flicker of determination enters Ruby's eyes as she says these next few words. "Weiss, I have absolutely no intention of dying."

"I know, but you might not get the choice." Pyrrha didn't plan on dying, neither did Penny and I doubt Ozpin did either, but they are gone. "We can hope all we like, declare whatever we want, but…"

What Ruby does next surprises me. She takes my hands in hers, gaze unwavering. "I can't promise that I won't be in danger, that'll be a lie, but what I _can_ promise is that I will keep on fighting. Whatever happens, I won't give up. Not while there are people still counting on me… while _you're_ still counting on me."

"Ruby, I…" I hesitate, unsure what to say to that.

Her expression turns conflicted as she continues. "There's... something else, Weiss. Something important. Please just… hear me out first before you say anything. Otherwise, I might lose my resolve." Deciding to hear her out, I nod. "Before, you asked me who the 'girl' in my heroic model was. I've known that answer for a while now, I was just too scared to admit it to myself and… the person who needs to hear it the most… you."

"Me?" The surprised word resounds around the courtyard.

"Yes. You, Weiss Schnee," she repeats, looking very hesitant right now. "I know it's crazy and… well, it's just plain crazy, but there you have it."

I sit there, stunned by the confession. Sure, I had my suspicions, but… actually hearing Ruby admit it aloud, that is something else entirely. My thought is broken when a hand waves in front of my face, trying to catch my attention.

"Earth to Weiss."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry. I was… you sure pick your timings…" I sigh, unable to form coherent sentences. There are so many things I want to say right now, many I don't think I can.

Ruby shrugs, eyeing me up like a hawk to gauge my reaction. "You know me."

"I do. I…" Wanting to give her a straight, honest answer, I swallow my pride and say what I so desperately want to, however embarrassing it might be. "Maybe I wouldn't mind filling that role for you."

That seems to surprise her, eyebrows raising and eyes widening. "Oh… wow, okay."

"Try to sound a little excited," I tease, nudging her shoulder. My hand is shaking a little and my heart rate has increased too.

"I am, just…" she clears her throat, composing herself as best she can, "...wasn't expecting it. Not that easily."

"I never said it would be easy," I add with a smirk. Playing around like this helps the nerves.

"Nothing ever is with you, Weiss, and I wouldn't want it to be," Ruby replies, her smile fond and warm.

"So, you're up for the challenge then?" I question, hoping the answer will be a resounding yes.

Part of me doesn't believe this is actually happening, wondering just what the hell Ruby sees in me. Most people I meet probably hate me, and they would have good reason to. I'm not the nicest of people, an understatement. To think that someone is friends with me, let alone… Is this all some trick? No, she's not like that. Yang might, but Ruby wouldn't. She really means every word she says, I can tell.

"Always," she confirms, not hesitating for even a second.

"We'll see about that. I look forward to seeing that certainty in action." I stand up and hold my hand out for her. My nerves are totally shot and I need time to process all this. "Guess we shouldn't keep Yang and Blake waiting."

Smiling, she takes it firmly and we walk back towards the inn. Despite my reservations, having Ruby here makes even the most impossible of things seem doable. Has it always been like that? Yes and no...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll tease it just a little longer, but I think y'all know what's coming as far as Weiss and Ruby are concerned ;) Gotta keep you on your toes. Have a great day and see ya soon.


	7. Back in Action

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to the story. As a heads up, this will probably be the last chapter for a while (yay for essay/exam period). I might be able to update between now and the end, but maybe not. Regardless, enjoy.

**Chapter Seven: Back in Action**

Now back in the safety of his room, Oscar lets out a sigh. That could have gone better. Meeting new people is already difficult enough for him, let alone with the added pressure of being introduced as Ozpin's successor, hope against Salem. It's all too much. He's nobody. Not a fearless warrior, just some kid who used to live on a farm. A pang of homesickness threatens to overwhelm him.

_Oscar…_ the familiar voice calls out in his mind, demanding his attention. He tries to ignore it, but can only hold out for so long. He knows that he will have to listen eventually. Ozpin won't give up until he has his way. Doesn't mean he has to like it.

"What?" He can't keep the frustration from his voice.

_You can't keep doubting yourself like this,_ Ozpin states matter-of-factly now that he has the young boy's attention.

Oscar throws his hands in the air, pacing. "How can I not? I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm headed. You don't seem to know either."

A long moment of silence passes between them before Ozpin replies. _The future isn't for us to see until we get there._

"Again with the cryptic answers…" Oscar sighs, flopping down on the bed. He is tired of this and just wants to go home, to live a normal life again.

The voice in his head reminds him that he is far from normal. _All you need to know is that you are destined for this._

"What, like you were? Death," he replies angrily. Ozpin has told him bits and pieces about his circumstances, shown him in some cases.

There is a deep sigh in his head. _Not necessarily. My role in all this is… different from yours. All will become clear in time._

"Forget I asked," Oscar mutters to himself, staring up at the ceiling. He should have expected nothing less than cryptic half answers.

Trying once again to motivate the young boy, Ozpin appeals to his sense of heroism and bravery. Oscar has dreamt about such things, overcoming his humble background to become someone revered and respected. Most people do. _True heroes don't ask for power._

"I don't _want_ to be a hero, okay?" he snaps, so done with all this destiny talk. "I just want to be… me."

_This is part of you, Oscar, whether you like it or not. I was very much the same as you before. If we don't do this, we will all die. Without a doubt. Or worse…_ Ozpin stops dead in his tracks with that thought, not wanting to think about other possibilities.

"Worse?" he questions cautiously.

_There are things worse than death and Salem knows that. I fear she may have already done something unspeakable. More than once._ If his suspicions are correct, something truly terrible has or will be unleashed on Remnant. Not just terrible because of its desire for destruction, but also for the moral boundaries it crosses… and, worst of all, he had an unwitting hand in its creation. Trying to prevent fate only seems to quicken its arrival.

"What do you mean?" They young boy asks, almost too anxious to press further. He needs to know, though.

Ozpin remains silent, not expanding on that thought. He hopes beyond all hope that he is wrong. If not, well, they would have an even tougher fight on their hands than he first feared.

**Ruby's POV - Next Morning**

We switched over sleeping arrangements now that there were more of us. Ren, Nora, and Jaune took one room while me, Yang, Blake, and Weiss occupied the other. Unfortunately, there weren't any other rooms available so we had to make do. Since Yang and Weiss outright refused to share a bed, same with Blake, it was down to me to bunk with Weiss, not that I really minded much. She agreed to the plan pretty quickly too. I think Yang and Blake picked up on that and are getting suspicious.

Either way, now morning has come around. I am the first to wake, finding Weiss snuggled up close to me. It's kind of cute and I know if she woke up like this, she'd freak out. As tempting as it is to stay there until she wakes and tease her a little, my stomach grumbles loudly. Cautiously, I slither out of bed and get changed before heading downstairs in search of food. The others will come down when they're ready. When I reach the bottom floor, I notice Qrow sat at one of the tables. He waves me over. Quickly ordering some food, I join him.

"Mornin'," he greets, nursing a cup of coffee. There is hardly anyone else around right now, all still asleep.

"Hi, uncle Qrow. What are you doing here?" I ask as I sit down opposite him.

He smiles at me before taking a sip of his steaming coffee. "Thought I'd come check in on my adorable nieces and bring news."

The waitress brings over a bowl of porridge and some juice for me. I thank her, rubbing my hands together in anticipation. Qrow gives her a suave smile and wink, or at least what he considers to be suave. She shakes her head, leaving us to it.

"Think you might need to work on your technique a bit," I chuckle as I dig in.

"Yeah, well, tell me that when you can do better," he sighs, running his fingers through his dark hair. He likes to think of himself as a charmer, so gets defensive about it when he fails.

Not wanting to start up a conversation about my love life, I change the subject. "So, what did you want to tell us?"

"Got some reports of Grimm activity not too far away. Worryingly close, actually. Just on the outskirts. Reckon they could use a couple trained huntresses. Best part, they're offering a reward for anyone who can help." Qrow downs his coffee, placing the mug back on the table. He also leaves a piece of paper detailing where we should go if we're interested. "Might be worth considering. Hell, I'd do it myself, but… I have other things to deal with right now. Be seeing you."

Once he has left, I finish up my breakfast and head back upstairs to tell the others. "Wake up you lazy lot. Our finely honed skills are needed. Up and at 'em," I announce as I pull open the curtains.

"Wha…" Yang's question is swallowed by a huge yawn, eyes watering at the sudden burst sunlight.

"I think she meant to say 'What's going on?' Just a guess." Blake smiles sleepily, yawning herself and rubbing at her eyes, stretching out.

Not wasting any time, I relay the news Qrow told me. "There have been Grimm attacks nearby. People are getting worried. Thought we could lend a hand. Plus, there's a reward as a bonus."

Blake considers the proposal, nodding in agreement. "Not like we're doing much else right now."

"A reward sounds good and practice never hurts," Yang chimes in, adding her opinion. "It's been ages since we've fought as a team."

All attention turns to Weiss, who just shrugs. "I don't need the practice, but if you do then I won't object."

The others get dressed and eat before we head out to the place Qrow indicated. A couple of guards stand watch, one woman standing out in particular. Assuming that she is the main guard, we approach her.

"Are you here to report something?" she asks tiredly, looking thoroughly worn down. Between the Grimm, White Fang, bandits, and more general law and order concerns, the city guard has their work cut out.

"We're here to help with the Grimm problem. Figured you could use some huntresses," I state confidently, my team members stepping forward.

The guard seems a little skeptical, maybe due to how young we all look, but doesn't argue. "Huntresses, huh? Well, we could definitely use the help and you look capable enough. Well equipped at the very least. We've had reports of Grimm activity on the outskirts. Couple of people, traders mostly, have been hit. Nobody's died fortunately, but some were injured."

"We're on it," Yang asserts, excited for the chance to show off her skills in real combat again.

She nods, motioning for another guard to come over. "I'll have someone accompany you. You'll receive payment once the area's clear. Good luck out there."

The other guard leads the way, taking us to the last known area. He stops abruptly when we reach the outskirts, turning to us. "Here we are."

Almost the second he finishes that sentence, a low growling comes from behind us. We turn swiftly, seeing a large Beowolf accompanied by a few smaller ones. The guard gives us a stiff nod, unsheathing his sword. A fight ensues, the five of us battling the Grimm. It's surprising how quickly we all get back into the swing of things.

I dart out of the way of a claw swipe, using one of Weiss' glyphs for leverage as Yang fires a few rounds from her gauntlets to disperse them. Blake draws one of them right into her fire with her shadow copy and another into Weiss' fiery dust blast from Myrtenaster. When I land, I embed Crescent Rose's blade into the larger Beowolf's shoulder, the beast letting out an angry roar as Yang punches it square in the face while it's distracted. Blake swoops in, planting one of her katana blades deep into the Grimm's back leg and shooting the front ones with the other half of Gambol Shroud. When it stumbles, falling to the ground, Weiss uses several of her glyphs to set up a pinball effect for me to capitalize on. Tapping into my semblance, I push off each one, spinning in the air, shooting a few times before dashing down and providing the killing blow to the head. The large Beowolf lets out a resounding roar, fading to a black wisp. We make short work of the remaining Grimm, the guard holding his own against the beasts.

"Guess you guys weren't kidding about being huntresses," he mentions, sounding impressed. "Let's head back and let the boss know you've been successful."

I turn to my fellow team members and friends with a smile. "Good job team."

"We kicked ass!" Yang exclaims gleefully, punching her fists together.

Blake allows herself a slight smirk as we walk back. "That's one way of putting it."

"Not anywhere near as good as my performance, but you did okay," Weiss adds, screaming bloody murder as Yang puts her in a headlock. "I swear, Yang Xiao Long, if you don't let go of me right this instant, I will crush you!"

"And how do you propose to do such a thing in your current position?" Yang asks, amused to see what she will come up with. Her hold doesn't loosen even an inch, seeing through the bluff.

"I…" Weiss begins, clearly not knowing how best to threaten the blonde huntress, "...just wait and see if you want to risk it."

"I'll pass on that offer," Yang chuckles as she lets her go.

"You shouldn't annoy her so much," Blake adds as she watches Weiss storm off ahead.

My sister shrugs, a huge grin plastered on her face. "Why not? It's fun. Besides, she secretly enjoys the attention."

Blake raises an eyebrow skeptically. "I don't know about that…"

Not wanting her to get separated from the rest of the group, I pick up my pace and catch up with Weiss, catching her angry mutters. "So help me, I'm going to _kill_ her one day."

"I know Yang can get a little carried away sometimes…" I begin, trying my best to calm her down. I highly doubt that she will do what she says, but you never can be too sure with Weiss.

"You call _that_ just getting 'a little carried away'?!" Weiss exclaims incredulously, looking at me like I've said the stupidest thing in the world.

"Yes… no… maybe?" I backtrack and stumble over my words, not wanting to anger her further.

My indecision seems to make her rage fade a little. "Way to commit to an answer, Ruby."

"I don't know which is the right one to pick," I defend, hoping that I haven't made it worse.

She takes a deep, calming breath, turning to me with a small smile. "The 'right' answer here is to hold my hand while I rant to you about Yang, nodding in agreement every now and then."

"That I can do." Not caring if the others see, I slip my hand into Weiss', gently swinging our arms as we head back to the city.

I swear I can feel Yang and Blake staring, hear them mutter amongst themselves, but I don't pay them any attention. All that matters to me right now is that hand clasped so firmly in mine and the person it belongs to.

Nil slows its pace, seeing a small village in the distance. Time to shift back to its human form, at least for the time being. Claws and teeth retract, skin fades to pale, yet its eyes remain pools of swirling violet. The Grimm surrounding it disperse, finding another way around. It would be best to remain as covert as possible until Nil reaches, or at least gets extremely close to, its destination. Wherever Ruby Rose is.

Replacing its eye mask, white and red like Grimm, it strides towards the settlement. Nobody seems to notice Nil, averting their gaze. Maybe they just don't care or maybe they are scared. Either way, it works in Nil's favor. This is the first human settlement Nil has come across during its journey. A highly negative aura surrounds the village, fear, and panic running rampant. Nil draws on the negative emotions, feeding off them. Its human side might need physical sustenance but its Grimm side requires something much more abstract.

It would be so very easy to rip this village to shreds, destroy every single scrap of life, but Nil doesn't. Its Grimm side would love that line of action more than anything. Instead, it walks all the way through to the other side and continues on its journey. There are more pressing matters to attend to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day and see you in the next chapter, whenever that is.


	8. Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so I managed to find some time to finish this next chapter off. After exams and stuff, I'll try to get regular updates out again. Without further ado, enjoy.

**Chapter Eight: Yours**

Within the walls of Salem's fortress, there is a room with a long table used for discussion. The queen of this twisted castle sits at the head, eyeing up her minions with an eerie intensity. Some have already failed her, Tyrian being the most disappointing so far. While Cinder has had some success, they are clouded by her failures... Ozpin's dubious fate in particular. As for Watts and Hazel, they have yet to stumble. Mercury and Emerald sit close to Cinder, waiting for the meeting to start.

Salem interlocks her fingers, resting her chin on her hands, her attention focused on Watts. "I assume you have news to relay about Ozpin's little soldiers."

Sitting up straighter, he nods. "Indeed, it would seem they are interested in Cinder here," Watts turns to the woman in question, regarding her with smug contempt. "No wonder after her… disappointing display at Beacon."

"Disappointing isn't the word I'd use." Tyrian adds gleefully, eager to capitalize on others' failures to cover up his own. A twisted laugh escaped from his lips as he continued. "Much too weak."

Hazel remains silent, although he clears agrees with them about Cinder's incompetence, muscular arms crossed. Cinder responds to her name with a scowl, unable to voice her disapproval at the accusatory tone. Ever since Beacon's fall, she has been put at a disadvantage, humiliated and look down upon... all because of Ruby Rose. Had it not been for her, things would have gone without a hitch. She wouldn't have to be subjected to such mockery. While Cinder has managed to get the maiden's power she needs and set Salem's wider plan in motion, it has come at a cost. Her voice, her left eye and her pride.

Salem glances between them all, red eyes conveying her will. She will not entertain such petty arguments. Of course, they all notice the burning disapproval. The dark-haired woman looks away, Watts begins twiddling the end of his bushy mustache, Hazel closes his eyes and sighs while Tyrian cowers, already having failed once in a major way.

Now that she has their attention once more, Salem returns to the task at hand. "As expected. They will find what they are looking for soon enough. And then they will wish they had never started searching. Or rather, what they are searching for will find them."

The others in the group share a disconcerted glance. They have all seen Salem's pet, the Grimm-human hybrid. As much as they may pretend otherwise, it is a terrifying beast intent on pure destruction. It felt… unnatural.

"Now, I expect the rest of my plan to play out without incident. I shall not tolerate further failure." With the brief report and warning out of the way, she rises from her chair and leaves the room.

The others follow her out, all going their separate ways. Emerald and Mercury stick close by Cinder having stormed off ahead. As they make their way down the corridor, Mercury stretches his arms above his head. "Well, that was fun..."

Watching Salem turn the corner ahead, Emerald can't help but feel uneasy. "This is kind of insane, don't you think?"

Turning to her, one of his eyebrows raises in question. "Having second thoughts? Don't let Salem hear you say that."

"I just… worry this will backfire on us. Can we really trust that… thing?" Emerald shudders just remembering the eyes, dark and empty. Haunting. To think that used to be a person, someone like her with their own experiences and feelings… There is hardly anything human left.

Mercury shakes his head, smirking. Unlike Emerald, he isn't scared. Sure, the Grimm-human hybrid is a sight to behold, but nothing for them to fear. "That's no way to talk about Salem's pet. Given, its not the prettiest thing in the world, but it has its charm… if you look closely. I'm sure it has a great personality."

Emerald frowns at the tasteless teasing. "This isn't a joke, Mercury."

He sighs melodramatically, acting as if she's making a big deal out of nothing. "Lighten up and relax. Salem knows what she's doing."

"I hope you're right." Emerald isn't as convinced by his reassurances. Mercury is cocky by nature, while she is much more reserved and cautious.

A confident grin tugs at his lips. "No need to doubt it. Before long, Ruby will have been recovered and then we can have some fun. Like the good old days. Renew our… friendship."

* * *

**Two Days Later - Inn Courtyard**

Once again, Jaune finds himself in the courtyard, training. The second time for today. It helps him clear his mind... and feel close to Pyrrha again. The training video is the only thing he has left of her, besides his memories and what scraps they could recover from the broken remains of her accessories. Swinging Crocea Mors as hard as he can, he lets out a loud roar unleashing all his emotion into that one hit. The blade gets firmly stuck in the makeshift practice dummy he has managed to scrounge up.

Exhaling deeply, he tugs the blade until it comes loose. Examining it, he realizes what the problem is. "Guess it needs sharpening."

Unable to continue like this, he retreats inside. When he enters the room he, Nora and Ren have been sharing, he finds them there on one of the beds. They notice him almost immediately, Ren nodding and Nora offering a tentative smile.

"Hey, guys," Jaune mutters in response as he sits down, finding what he needs to get his blade sharp once more.

As he works, the only thing on his mind is Pyrrha. He had thought the pain would lessen over time, but it seems just as raw as the first day. The main problem… he's bottling it all up, not letting himself process the event properly. Ren and Nora haven't really brought it up and neither has he. Maybe it's time for that to change. Pyrrha wouldn't want them to mourn forever. She would want them to remember the good times and move forward.

Putting his sword to one side, Jaune clears his throat. "We haven't talked much about Pyrrha since…" He catches himself, nearly losing it for a moment as voice breaks at her name. "I want talk about her. Not talking about her is basically the same as us ignoring she ever existed."

Ren nods solemnly in agreement. "If you want to, Jaune, then we will happily oblige."

"What he said." Nora jerks her head towards Ren, also consenting to the talk. Her words seem much softer than usual.

Passing the first step, actually bringing Pyrrha up, Jaune struggles to find the right words to express himself. "I just… I really miss her."

"You're not the only one. We know you were probably closer to her than either of us, but…" Ren pauses, gathering his thoughts. "Pyrrha was a valued friend and team member."

"The world is a much sadder, darker place without her in it." A wistful expression crosses Nora's face, eyes reflecting her inner sadness. "Know what I miss the most? Her awkwardness. Despite being a celebrity and all, she had no clue how to talk to people. It was kinda funny and adorable." She allows herself a fond yet melancholic smile.

"Yeah, it was…" Jaune struggles to agree. How many times had he seen that side of her? Not enough...

Ren is next to add his thoughts. "I miss her courageous spirit and loyalty. Not once did she begrudge her situation or run away, even in the face of almost insurmountable danger. She protected us all, made us see another side to life."

Finally, it is Jaune's turn. He will never be able to explain how he feels, that is for sure. Still, he can try. He _has_ to, for Pyrrha's sake and his own. "I miss her kindness and… her smile, encouraging and warm. She never gave up on me, even though I was a nobody with no skill to speak of." His voice falters, tears stinging at his eyes. He doesn't hold them back. "She didn't deserve…"

His other two teammates are crying too, all mourning the loss of such a dear friend. Silently, the three of them share a group hug, letting go of the bottled up emotions. They cry not just for Pyrrha, although most of it is for her cruel departure from the world. Instead, they cry for everyone who has suffered, given their lives, lost friends and family to Salem and her minions, to the Grimm. For all the people who have yet to suffer.

While many things about their future are uncertain, one thing is definite: they will _not_ stand by and silently watch as the world around them collapses. Not while they can still do something about it.

* * *

**Weiss' POV**

Needing to clear my head, I decide to go for a walk alone. A lot has happened recently and I need some time to figure everything out. Things between Ruby and I are good, really good. We're taking things slow for the moment. It's still early days for us, both trying to work this all out, what it means to follow this path. The only way to find out is to dive head first. I'm willing to take the risk, and so is Ruby. It might seem trivial and pointless given the circumstances, but not to us. What it means for me at least is… hope, a reason to keep on fighting, something to protect. We all need that motivation these days. For me, that's Ruby Rose.

On a slightly different note, she did tell me I should apologize to Oscar when I next see him… something I do actually agree with. Surprising, I know. Someone as stubborn as me conceding a point, admitting I'm wrong. The stress is getting to me, it seems. With everything going on, it's any wonder we're still managing to hold onto even a glimpse of sanity. I mean, all of this is crazy. _Beyond_ crazy. We didn't come to Beacon to get involved in some international war, and yet here we are. What's left of us, anyway. There's nowhere to run or hide.

Another more minor concern of mine… Yang and Blake have clearly figured out something is going on between me and Ruby given the muttering and looks they give us sometimes. Who knows how long it'll be before we get confronted. The waiting is the worst part, knowing they know but aren't saying anything. Part of me wonders if I shouldn't just bring it up, get it out of the way… but it's harder than it seems. All the fights I've been in, the times I've nearly died, that's _nothing_ compared to face Yang and telling her that I like her sister. Normally, Yang's approval means very little to me. Where Ruby is concerned… that's a whole different story.

As I round the corner, I notice a familiar flash of blonde hair disappear out of view. A certain someone seems to have been following me. For what purpose, I'm about to find out.

"Yang…" I call out, tapping my foot impatiently with my arms crossed.

After a second or two, the girl in question reappears, grinning as she approaches me with her arms outstretched. "Weiss, fancy seeing you here."

Not believing her attempts to pass this off as a coincidence, I narrow my eyes. "Why are you following me?"

Thinking over her options, she sighs and replies. "I have something to ask you but couldn't get you on your own without looking suspicious, despite my best efforts. So, care to explain something for me?"

"Not to burst your bubble but thisright here, tailing me, _that's_ suspicious." I have a feeling I know where this is going but don't have anywhere to escape to. Instead, I stand my ground. "Depends on what it is. Ask, I can't promise I'll answer."

"What's going on with you and Ruby?" Yang asks, getting straight to the point. Clearly seeing the resistance on my face even before I say anything, she runs her fingers through her hair. "Look, I'm not here to give you a hard time or anything. Just to confirm a suspicion. It's pretty obvious something's going on, anyone can see it. You guys aren't exactly subtle."

Not wanting to confirm outright, I dance around the question. "If I say yes, what would you say in response?"

Stroking her chin, Yang finally answers. "Hmm… well, first I'd wonder whether my little sis is feeling okay or if she's gone completely loopy." I scowl at her, which gets her grinning and immediately holding her hands up in surrender. "Kidding. It's my job to keep an eye on her. Yeah, Ruby's old enough to look after herself and make her own decisions before you lecture me. That and I need more blackmail material."

I shake my head at her meddling. "Figures you'd be the nosy big sister type…"

"Damn right! It's nothing personal against you, well, maybe a little…" When I look like I might straight up murder her, she backtracks. "Again, kidding. Mostly. You're just too easy to wind up. So long as she's happy, I'm happy. If you're happy too, bonus I guess."

Understanding her concern, I am quick to ease her worries. "You don't have to worry."

"I'll take that as a promise. Let's just say if Ruby even so much as complains about you, there _will_ be trouble," Yang playfully threatens, punching her fists together.

I allow myself a slight smile at her protectiveness. "Duly noted."

"Was that… a genuine smile, Ms. Schnee? Not vindictive or evil in the slightest? I think I might faint from witnessing such a rare occurrence," Yang teases, grinning ear to ear. "I knew Ruby was good, but I didn't think she'd be able to melt that icy heart of yours."

Giving her shoulder a shove, I continue walking. "Knock it off."

She chuckles and tags along back to the inn. "Only when it stops being fun."

As we walk back, I wonder if my sister would be as protective if she knew. Ruby's lucky to have such a close relationship with Yang, unlike me and Winter. I'm kind of jealous.

When Ruby sees me, her entire face lights up. I have to admit, it's pretty cute. Like an excitable puppy. "Weiss… and Yang?" she questions as she notices Yang behind me, seeming confused by us being together, almost worried.

Yang approaches her, giving her a hearty pat on the back before disappearing into the inn. "Don't worry, sis. I left her in one piece."

Ruby's mouth opens and closes as she watches her sister leave, turning to me with confusion. "What's going on?"

Something tells me it's best to let Yang deal with this one. "You'll have to ask your sister later."

* * *

**Yang's POV**

When I enter the room, Blake's ears twitch and she glances up at me expectantly. "So, how'd it go?"

"I just had a heart to heart with our dear Weiss," I reveal, joining her over on the bed.

"And?" Blake prompts, seeming excited.

I leave her hanging for a few seconds, grinning at the mounting impatience in her amber eyes. "I confirmed our suspicions about her and my little sis."

"Wait, she _told_ you there was something going on?" she concluded, sounding impressed by my interrogation skills.

"Basically, yeah." While Weiss hadn't _explicitly_ said it, it was pretty obvious.

Considering this new information, Blake lets out a deep sigh. "Well, damn. I know we joked about it, but…"

"I'm surprised too," I admit. From the way those two used to speak to one another, well the way Weiss used to insult her at least, it almost doesn't seem possible. "I need to grill Ruby about it later."

"I guess stranger things have happened," Blake mutters just loud enough for me to hear. With what we've seen so far, that's a fair statement.

"I think it just goes to show, even with all this crap going on, hell maybe _because_ of it, we all need someone." Crisis has a strange way of bringing people together.

Blake turns to me, hesitant. "Even you?"

I offer her a slight smile. Blake should know the answer to that question without asking. "Even me. And before you ask, you should already know who that is for me."

"A very stupid person," she replies, her ears drooping slightly as her head hangs.

Shaking my head, I lift her chin so she's looking at me again. "Yep, exactly. A very stupid person I haven't quite forgiven yet, but can't bring myself to hate."

Sighing, she meets my gaze voluntarily. "I'm sure this very stupid person regrets what she did, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you, if possible."

"Oh, I can think of ways, _lots_ of them." I let go of her chin, fingers linger a second longer than necessary. "For starters, this very stupid person can let me hold her for a while."

Allowing herself a smile, Blake complied to my request. She lays down, letting me wrap my arms tight around her and snuggle up close. I begin idly playing with her cat-like ears, feeling her practically melt at my touch. More than anything, I want to go back to the way things used to be between us, before Beacon fell. We both need to work on that, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day and see you next time.


	9. Questions Without Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Got this written up sooner than expected, so here ya go. Nearly finished exams and stuff, so close…

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Questions Without Answers**

**The Next Day - Late Morning**

Oscar lays back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He has been in Mistral for a while now, even longer since he left home. In a way, he misses how simple his life used to be. Wake up, help out at the farm, dream about adventure, repeat. In other ways, he's glad to be rid of the monotony. The way his life was going, he would've never made a sizable change to Remnant. Now, he has the chance to make a difference, even if he's not sure how. At least, people keep telling him he can. To rest all hopes and dreams on kids… people are desperate. From what little he's heard from Ozpin the original plan failed, and people died as a direct result. People who had their whole lives ahead of them, who sacrificed so much to try and stop Salem's plans, whatever they are.

Ozpin has let loose one name, Pyrrha Nikos. Even Oscar has come across the name before. Graduated top of her class at Sanctum Academy before moving to Vale to attend Beacon. Winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament _four_ times in a row. Mascot for the Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes, huntress in training. She was a celebrity in her own right, a hero - strong and capable - yet… even she fell at the battle of Beacon. And then there is Ozpin himself. Clearly, he'd been important in life, headmaster at Beacon Academy no less. Oscar doesn't know much about the mysterious man in his head, but the fact he's even _there_ has to mean he's vital for something. What, the young boy has yet to work out. Whatever Ozpin's goals, they seem to link directly back to him. An even stranger realization.

_If you think I'm important, that means you are too,_ Ozpin cuts in.

Oscar rolls his eyes, certain that his role in all this is inconsequential. "Yeah right. I'm just a vessel for you. Anybody could do that job."

The older man in his head seems to disagree, strongly. _Not anyone, no. It takes a special kind of someone._

Before Oscar can press for more detail, there is a knock at his door. Assuming it is Qrow - the only constant visitor the young boy receives - he shuffles off the edge of the bed. Qrow is a strange one. He seems more of a lone wolf character, more interesting in drinking and flirting than anything else, and yet he insists on coming back time after time to help Ozpin, and Oscar by default. It's really strange.

When he opens the door, he gets a surprise. Not a gruff, rugged man but a pale, young woman. Her light blue eyes are like ice, staring him down. He recognizes her as one of the girls Qrow brought to meet him, the frowny one. Weiss Schnee, if he remembers correctly. The first time, he failed to notice the long scar running vertically down her left eye, something he is very aware of now. It only adds to her already scary aura.

She brushes the end of her long, white off center bun-tail over her shoulder. Today, she seems less hostile, or maybe that's wishful thinking. "Oscar, we need to talk."

He swallows hard, frozen with fear. What could she possibly want with him? "O-okay?"

Stepping aside, he lets her into his room. There is little in the way of decoration, the bare bones of a bedroom. Another thing he misses. While he didn't have much, his family poor, he had some comics and books he'd read to death, a small collection of action figures to re-enact great battles, other things too. Now, his only constant possession is Ozpin's cane, which admittedly is pretty cool. He has yet to work out what it does, having said that. His passenger has been quiet on that front, telling him to be patient.

Weiss nods, looking around the minimalistic setup before sitting down on his bed. He approaches her cautiously, like he's worried she'll lash out and bite him if he gets too close. She notices the hesitant fear, letting out a deep sigh.

"I'm… sorry about snapping at you the other day. It was wrong of me. I'm just… very frustrated about all this, scared even, and I shouldn't have taken that out on you," she mumbles just loud enough for him to hear.

An apology is the very last thing Oscar has been expecting. It catches him off guard. He shrugs, fiddling with his suspenders. "It's fine, really. I understand a little. We're all scared and frustrated, me too. I have no idea what's going on anymore or what I'm supposed to do."

Speaking with more conviction, Weiss continues. "You're not the only one. Look, my friend, Ruby - the red-haired girl you met the other day - she's got a lot of pressure on her too. Just like you. When she told me I was being unreasonable, something I already knew, I realized I was being a jerk."

Oscar waves away her second apology, knowing that she is sincere in her apology. He can tell. "Like I said, no harm done."

Another surprise, Weiss actually manages a genuine smile. "If you need anything from me or the others, just say. We all need to start putting faith in one another and working together if we're going to win this."

Still shocked by the smile, Oscar nods dumbfounded. "Okay, same with you guys. I'm not sure how I can help, but…"

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, that's all I had to say. I'm sure we both have things to attend to." With that, she leaves as suddenly as she appeared, leaving him confused yet relieved.

_Weiss' bark is worse than her bite,_ Ozpin adds reassuringly. _An… acquired taste._

"Seems so, yeah. Wasn't expecting an apology, actually," Oscar admits, still surprised by the last five minutes or so.

_Life is full of surprises. Some good, some bad. Others… in between._ Ozpin replies with some fortune cookie style wisdom.

"Yeah, like waking up to find some stranger in your head, telling you that you have to help save Remnant," Oscar points out, only half-joking.

Ozpin actually chuckles at that. _Indeed, a surprise._

Oscar isn't sure how many more surprises either he or Remnant can take. "How did it get so bad? It seemed only yesterday that I was back home, helping on the farm. Now, I'm here in a place I've never even been to before, meeting people I probably never would have if it wasn't for coming."

_A question I've been asking myself lately. We did try to stop Salem, but…_ The voice in his mind falters, reluctant to continue that thought.

"But?" Oscar presses, wanting answers to at least some of the questions.

_...it only seemed to make things worse,_ Ozpin replies sadly.

"How? You keep skirting around my questions. What exactly did you do?" Oscar asks, desperate to know just what happened.

Once again, Ozpin doesn't provide an answer. The young boy can feel the resistance in his mind, sense the regret. It worries him. Something _really_ bad must have gone down to make Ozpin react like this. What, he had no idea. One thing he's certain of, it's worse than people dying… and that scares him. There are worse fates than death.

* * *

**Two Days Later - Early Morning**

Now that Jaune has talked about Pyrrha with Ren and Nora, there is one other person to cross off the list. Ruby Rose. He's been mentally preparing himself for the conversation. Ruby was there when Pyrrha died, had to watch her leave this earth, live with the guilt of failing to save her. It's something they should have talked about a long time ago, but neither of them had been ready. Even now, Jaune is hesitant but he knows they have to bring Pyrrha up sooner or later, better sooner. He doesn't want to leave anything unsaid between them, especially when Ruby is probably still blaming herself.

With a sigh, he knocks confidently on the inn door. A mumbled 'One minute' comes from behind the door, footsteps shuffling. The door opens, revealing Ruby. When her gray eyes meet Jaune's blue ones, they instantly shift to guilt. Thankfully, the others aren't here making it easier to talk in private, aka harder for her to run away.

"Ruby, we need to talk," Jaune states in a steady tone. He can't take no for an answer, he _won't_. For both their sakes, they need to have this talk now. There might not be a later.

Hesitating, Ruby reluctantly steps aside to let him in. She has a bad feeling about this, but what else can she do? "Sure, what about?"

"A lot of things, but…" he swallows hard, steadying his resolve as he takes a seat on one of the beds, "mostly Pyrrha."

"Ah, I see…" Ruby winces at the name, taking a seat beside him and hanging her head like she's waiting to be scolded, for Jaune to shout and blame her. Like a puppy who's been caught peeing on the carpet.

He waits for her to look up again before starting. "Look, I… I don't blame you for what happened. I mean, you were the only one who tried to save Pyrrha. For that alone, I'm grateful. More than that. I should have said that much, much sooner. Instead, I left you in the dark."

A moment of mild surprise flickers in Ruby's eyes, soon fading when she realizes he isn't here to blame her. "It's okay, Jaune. You needed… time. We all have, still do."

Jaune can't argue with that. Beacon hit them all hard. "Things have been tough, yeah, but having you around made it easier. I could see how strong you were, how you kept fighting even if it seemed impossible, and I just knew. I knew I couldn't give up. In fact, it would be disrespectful to Pyrrha if I did. She gave her life for Ozpin's cause, for all of us. That's not a decision she would have made lightly. If I gave up, everyone who has been hurt or killed, who has lost people, it would have all been for nothing. I want all this sacrifice to mean _something_." By the end, he is hanging onto his composure by a thin thread.

Ruby is quiet for some time, thinking over everything he has said. "You know what I think? It means there are people out there who care about us enough."

"That's what makes it even more painful." Whatever he and Pyrrha could have had was killed before it could even really begin. If he had realized sooner...

"Yeah, it does…" Ruby agrees sadly. It's no secret that Pyrrha and Jaune were close.

"Pyrrha died protecting all of us, trying to make things better. She put her trust in Ozpin, just like you are now. Putting yourself at risk. It… scares me." He couldn't see another friend die, one was too much already.

"Honestly, it scares me, too," Ruby confesses with shaky resolve. "Everyone's pinning their hopes on me, even when I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing."

Realizing that she could do with some support and encouragement, Jaune put his hand on her arm. "If I know you, which I like to think I do, you'll find a way. You always do somehow. In fact, you're one of the only people I would trust implicitly. Besides, you're not alone in this. You have me, Ren and Nora. Not to mention Yang, Blake, and Weiss. Other people too, like Qrow. Between us, we'll give this fight meaning."

Sighing, she began wringing her hands in her lap. "I just… don't want anyone else dying or getting hurt because of me, that's all. With the Silver Eyes thing, it makes being around me so dangerous. Uncle Qrow nearly died protecting me."

Having expected this, Jaune quickly shares his thoughts. "Wouldn't you do the same? Say it was a member of team RWBY, Weiss for example, you'd rush in to help without thinking about yourself, right?"

"Of course I would," she confirms without hesitation.

Smiling, he continues. "And that's how everyone else feels, me included. Don't shut us out and go all lone wolf. That doesn't suit you. We're here for you, for our friends and family - which for me, you're both of those things - and for ourselves. Whether you're in team RNJR or RWBY, I'll be here for you."

"I'll be here for you, too," Ruby replies instantly.

"I know. You've proven that much already. Somehow, we'll make this work. All of us," Jaune reassures, just as much for himself as Ruby. "Speaking of your teammates, I, uh, heard about you and Weiss, by the way." He suspects that Ruby hasn't brought it up before now because of Pyrrha, worried that he would take it the wrong way.

"Let me guess… Yang?" Ruby asks hesitantly, already knowing the answer.

"Who else? Guess we have similar tastes, huh?" Jaune chuckles softly, trying to lighten the mood. When he thinks back to how he used to be, especially around Weiss, he can't help but cringe.

Ruby actually manages a smile. "I guess so."

There are so many things Jaune could say now. He wants Ruby and Weiss to have a chance, knowing how devastating it is leaving things left unsaid and undone. "A word of advice: make the most of it for as long as it lasts, a long time I hope. Don't have a single regret at the end of the day. Learn everything you can about her. Say everything you want to say to her, even if it's embarrassing. Memorize her smile, might be hard because she doesn't do that too often. And…" he hesitates, unable to continue. This is what he wishes he had done more of when Pyrrha was alive. If only he had a second chance...

Considering the advice, Ruby slowly nods. "I will."

Jaune knows better than anyone that life isn't fair. It takes as much as it gives. That's why you had to cling onto everything you could, until the bitter end. "Anyway, that's all the serious talk over. I think we've all had enough of that. It's not all doom and gloom, surprisingly."

There is a brief silence between them, one Ruby breaks. "Jaune… thank you."

He shakes his head, feeling more at peace now they've had this conversation, like a weight lifted from his shoulders. "I should be saying that to you, Ruby."

"Let's just agree to mutual thanking. Oh, and a hug." Ruby awkwardly holds out her arms, offering the said hug.

Jaune smiles, returning the hug. "I can comply with that."

They stay like that for a few moments, both needing this more than they had first realized. Things might look grim and destruction inevitable, but they have each other's backs. Wherever this path leads, they will walk it together.

* * *

**Yang's POV**

Blake, Weiss and I have spent the morning sharpening our skills. Ruby was still in bed when we decided to go, so we left her to it with a note. She seems to have missed out on a few nights sleep and she was out for the count this morning. Wanting to check on her, I leave Weiss and Blake to it.

When I get to the room, I am surprised to find Jaune and Ruby hugging. "Hey, Jaune."

"Hi, Yang," Jaune greets as he pulls away.

"Didn't mean to interrupt." I get the feeling they were having a serious conversation before I came. Probably should have knocked first.

"I was done anyway," he replies, standing up and looking at Ruby before leaving. "Just remember what I said and take it easy."

Not questioning it - some conversations shouldn't be shared - I sit down next to Ruby in the spot Jaune just vacated. "Ruby, my favorite little sister, glad to see you're finally awake. We need to have a heart to heart."

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this…?" Ruby mutters, clearly bracing herself for trouble and/or embarrassment.

Not wasting any time for Ruby to wriggle her way out of this, I steamroller straight into what I want to talk about. "I'll cut to the chase, I _know_ something is going on between you and Weiss. Don't even try to deny it."

Looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, Ruby bit her lip. "Is this what you wanted to talk about, really?"

If Ruby knows me, which she does, she doesn't even have to ask that question. "Uh, yes. This is big news and you know it. It's in my interest to find out the deats."

"You know, I could redirect the question back at you. What about Blake?" she shoots back swiftly, looking a little proud of herself for coming up with a decent deflection.

"Well, aren't you sly. Take after me, I guess." Blake is… complicated, and I'm not ready to open that floodgate, especially when I haven't figured it all out for myself. "All I wanted to say was, I'm glad you found someone. Weiss would have been my last guess, but… you've always been full of surprises. So long as you're happy, I'm happy."

"Have you confronted Weiss about this?" Ruby asks, already knowing the answer to that. "Wait, why am I even asking? Of course you already have."

I hold my hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm just looking out for you. After everything we've been through, not just now but when we were growing up too, I want to make sure you're okay."

"Well, I am okay. More than okay where Weiss is concerned." For the first time since Beacon, she offers a genuinely warm smile, relaxed and almost carefree. Actually, even before then I don't think I've seen this smile from her.

"That's what I thought, just wanted to check for myself. And to let you know that you have my support, for what that's worth. Like always. Find something you love, someone you love, and _never_ let it go." Right now, that's all any of us can do.

"Thanks, Yang. I appreciate it."

I shrug. "Just fulfilling my duty as the big sister."

"Where is Weiss, or Blake for that matter?" Ruby asks, looking a little concerned.

I jerk my head towards the window. "Outside, making sure their fighting skills are up to scratch."

The worry in her eyes fades somewhat. "Let's hope they haven't murdered each other while you were gone. Or destroyed everything."

Where Blake and Weiss are concerned, it's a fifty-fifty chance. Some days, they hate each other's guts. Others, they just about tolerate one another. The latter is becoming more common than the former now, a small miracle. After everything we've been through, it's no wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everybody needs a hug in this. Have an awesome day and see you next time.


	10. On the Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. We've hit double digits :o Exciting. Still don't know how long this will be, at least 15 chapters I reckon, maybe more. It's all up in the air atm.

**Chapter Ten: On the Way**

Nil is getting close now, it can sense it, the anticipation of a hunt reaching its conclusion. There is still a way to go, but Ruby is not so far out of reach. Salem's orders are clear: remove her as a threat. How, she has left that up to Nil's discretion, as hoped. Kidnap, torture or death, it doesn't matter so long as the job gets done.

The Grimm-human hybrid shifts on the back of the large Nevermore it has commandeered to cross the body of water separating the kingdom of Mistral from Vale. This way is much faster, and much more fun than say a boat or airship, subtler too. For the most part, Nil is devoid of emotion but every now and then it gets a flicker of feeling, the faint memory of humanity. Salem has made sure to block out anything 'counterproductive' such as empathy, enhancing bloodlust and desire for chaos.

Every so often, Nil forces the Nevermore into a sharp dive, skimming the surface of the water with its hand before soaring above the clouds. That way, it gets some thrill from the journey. Sometimes, very vague ghosts of the person it used to be push through, shadowy faces, distorted whispers and a name on the tip of its tongue. In fact, the name 'Nil' reminds the Grimm-human hybrid of its previous title a little, the sound almost familiar to its mouth. A reflex, muscle memory. That is as far as it ever leads, however hard Nil pushes.

Whoever Nil used to be, it doesn't matter now. There is very little left, the Grimm side volatile and explosive. Any attempt from the human it used to be trying to overstep its boundaries is immediately shut down. Each day that goes by without chaos makes the beast inside scream for blood, louder and louder. In a way, Nil finds the creature that makes up over half of its being pitiful, the human side even more so.

What Salem has done in creating it is unnatural, wrong on so many levels. This union - of human and Grimm - was never supposed to happen. Humans have a soul, Grimms don't – a simple distinction. Still, here Nil is - an impossible hybrid. Something must have happened to its human form, its soul broken beyond repair, left vulnerable and malleable for this to even be possible. The shattered shards bound to a Grimm in a tangled, unstable mess. Somehow, this merger created a being able to move, speak and think, however improbable it may seem.

_How is your mission going?_ A familiar, commanding voice demands, cutting through the thought. It belongs to Salem, Nil's creator and master.

_I am crossing the waters to Mistral as we speak_ , the hybrid replies in a neutral tone.

Salem has a strange mental connection with the Grimm, able to control and communicate with them across long distances. As an enemy, she would be formidable. Of course, Nil is unable to feel sympathy for the humans it will inevitably crush - not the way it is programmed. Instead, the hybrid pulls on the Nevermore's feathers, banking sharply to the left.

_I expected nothing less,_ Salem states. _Unlike the others, I had a hand in your creation._

Something deep down inside the Grimm-human hybrid suggests that Salem merely took advantage of an opportunity, not the one who 'prepared' the broken human soul used in Nil's birth. No, Nil is certain of that. Whatever the circumstances of the shattering, Salem had a peripheral influence. Someone else allowed the chance to arise, most likely by accident.

_Now, you know what to do when you reach Mistral: find Ruby Rose,_ Salem repeats the command, strengthening Nil's compulsion to enact her will. _You may do as you wish with her, so long as she is dealt with either by you, or later personally by myself. Alive and broken or dead, whichever you prefer. She is too dangerous to allow to roam around as she pleases._

_Even with her silver eyes, she is still a child,_ Nil points out, confident in its own abilities. _I doubt she knows how to control her power - the first time an accident._

Salem is quiet for some time, finally responding to the self-assured statement. _Accident or no, do not underestimate her. Others have, and see where that led them._

There is no way Nil can fall short of Salem's expectations. _I won't fail._

_See to it that you don't. Oh, and anyone who tries to defend Ruby, you may do as you wish with,_ she adds as an afterthought. _And there_ _ **will**_ _be others protecting her, without a shadow of a doubt._

Allowing the Nevermore to swoop once more, Nil replies, eyes void-like behind its white and red mask. _With pleasure._ A twisted smirk tugs at its lips as it yanks on the shadow beast's feathers just seconds before it would make the plunge into icy water. One way or another, Ruby is done for.

* * *

**Blake's POV**

Yang leaves me and Weiss to go and check on her sister. After everything Ruby's been through, it's hard not to worry - for Yang most of all. While Weiss and I don't get on very well - clashing personalities - we're still a team. Nowadays, we need all the allies we can get. To be honest, she's not all that bad, especially recently. Beacon's fall forced us all change, for better or worse.

I turn to Weiss, watching her swish Myrtenaster with practiced poise. "So, I hear you were interrogated."

She let out a short laugh at the accurate wording. "That's one word for it, yeah."

"Yang means well. Sure, she might be like a bull in a china shop, but she's just concerned. When it comes to Ruby, she gets very protective." I have a feeling Weiss already knows this, but it doesn't hurt to remind her.

Slicing the rapier through the air with a crisp 'swish' one last time, Weiss turns to me. "I figured that much. Speaking of Yang, how are things going with you and her?"

"Slowly," I admit, not sure how to feel about that. "I think she wants to forgive me for doing a runner, but…"

"No offense, but it was a very stupid thing to do," Weiss cuts in, giving me a look that backs up her more than justifiable opinion.

Sighing, I hang my head. "Guess I can't really argue there. I was scared, selfish."

"If you pulled that on me, I don't think I could forgive you," she mentions, placing a hand on her hip, "then again, Yang's not me."

I allow myself a smirk, lightly nudging her shoulder. "Thankfully."

Weiss narrows her eyes with playful irritation. "Just watch what you say, Blake. I am still here." Her expression changes, more sympathetic. "For Yang, it's probably not much of a choice. She likes you too much to give up. You've been through too much together to get cut off. Just give her time."

I already know all this, but it's nice to hear someone agreeing with me, especially when that someone is Weiss. "I am. Whatever she ultimately decides, I'll go with it. Not like I'm in much of a position to influence her."

She doesn't reply straight away, thinking it over. "Depends. I think if there's something important to say, something Yang needs to hear, you should say it. It could change everything potentially."

"Like what?" I ask, desperate to find some way of helping this along. Having Yang mad at me… I don't like it. I want her to smile with carefree ease, not frown when she sees me, confused and conflicted.

Shaking her head, Weiss manages a slight smile. "Hey, you're the one who needs to work out what you want. You want my advice: pick a route and stick with it. Being indecisive when it counts hurts both you and the people around you."

My ears droop remembering how my indecisive running away has messed everything up. "I've seen that already, believe me."

"If you see it, change. While you still have the chance. There won't be any more excuses from here on out." As Weiss comes to the end of her pep talk, I notice Yang and Ruby in the distance.

They wave when they see us, seeming more relaxed for some reason. Weiss gives me a meaningful look as they approach, urging me to take what we discussed into account. I know that if I leave it, I'll never actually say what I have to say until it's too late. If I'm going to do this, it has to be now… no matter how scary the prospect.

Before either of them can talk, I gently take hold of Yang by the wrist to get her attention. "Yang, there's something I want to say to you."

"Sure, what is it?" she asks as I lead her away, looking confused.

It's all well and good me wanting to act, but how? I haven't prepared anything. "I… listen, I know you're still working on forgiving me and all, but this is something that can't wait. You need to know how I feel and factor that into your decisions."

Considering it for a second, Yang nods encouragingly. "Go ahead. Tell me."

Realizing that I will get nowhere just standing here, I say the first thing that comes to mind. "You make me feel a lot of things. A lot of conflicting things. I've been trying to work it all out in my head. Then I realized, I've been making it more complicated than it has to be. Every time, I overlook the obvious. I like you, Yang. I know my actions haven't proven that, but I do." I look her straight in the eyes, pleading her to believe me, to give me a second chance even if I don't deserve it. "From now on, if you let me, I want to prove it to you."

Again, a slight pause before she answers with a simple, "Okay."

Her reply shocks me. Out of everything I had been expecting, that sure wasn't it. "Wait… okay?"

"Yeah, okay. All this time I've been waiting, waiting for you to show you were actually committed to this, to me. That it wasn't just going to blow up in my face again." She meets my confused gaze, determined. "Now, I can see it. I want you to prove it to me. I want to see it. I want _you._ "

"Uh, you…" I stammer and stutter, trying to make sense of this. Does she mean…?

"Jeez, do I have to spell it out?" Without any warning, Yang kisses me.

So many emotions run through my mind: confusion, fear, panic, joy, relief - all getting swirled around and mixed up. With my brain on vacation, my body reacts on instinct, returning the kiss. Maybe that's the only conclusion that matters. I can overthink it, have overthought it, but the answer is simple. I like Yang. _Really_ like her.

When we finally break apart, my amber eyes meet her lilac ones. She seems just as conflicted as I am, but equally certain of herself, of us. We don't know where this will lead, but we're willing and able to try. That's enough.

I swallow hard, clearing my throat awkwardly. "So… am I forgiven now?"

Yang rolls her eyes, unable to keep the grin off her face. "You're getting there."

* * *

**A Few Minutes Earlier - Ruby's POV**

I watch Blake lead Yang away, curious to know what's going on with them. "Wonder what that was about."

"Something good, I hope," Weiss replies, both looking and sounding like she knows something I don't. Before I have the chance to ask further, she puts away Myrtenaster and continues talking. "They'll be fine, they always are."

Now that we are alone, the atmosphere suddenly changes. Weiss shoots me a warm, genuine smile, one I haven't seen much of before we decided to make a go of this, to give us a chance. I find myself returning her smile, goofier than hers.

"I had a chat with Jaune earlier. Yang, too," I reveal, having a feeling Weiss might already know. Yang isn't the subtlest of people. As much as I love my sis it's an undeniable fact that she's a snoop, a well-meaning snoop, but a snoop nonetheless.

Not looking surprised in the slightest, Weiss simply nods to show she had an inkling. "What did they have to say for themselves? Something embarrassing on Yang's part, I'm sure."

Taking a deep breath, I continue. "A lot of things, mostly that I shouldn't have any regrets in life."

Weiss considers this for a second or two, twirling the end of her bun-tail around her finger. "As much as it pains me, I'd have to agree."

Now that the opportunity has presented itself, I have to take it. This is my chance to make sure I have no regrets at the end of the day. As much as I don't want to think about it, bad things happen. Pyrrha's fate proves that. Not just her. Nobody wants or expects them, but that doesn't stop it from happening. We can't control a lot of things, so we should make sure that when we get the chance to, take it. This, for me, is one of those times.

Preparing myself, I hesitantly take hold of Weiss right hand, much to her surprise, and slowly begin. "Weiss, I don't know where tomorrow will take me, _us_ , what twists and turns we'll come across, but I know one thing for certain: I want you there with me."

"And I want to be there," Weiss all but whispers, cautiously reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, her free hand lingering. "Always."

The way she's looking at me now makes my heart race, almost feeling like it's about to beat out of my chest. Her eyes tell me so much, yet at the same time conceal. I know what I want to do now, what feels right. Jaune and Yang's words resound in my mind. Have no regrets and hold on tight.

With shaky resolve, I lean in closer to her. To my relief, she doesn't pull away. Instead, she mirrors my moves, our lips colliding in a brief yet tender kiss. When I've thought about doing this, my first kiss, I had imagined a lot of different scenarios. Safe to say, this wasn't one of them… but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double kiss whammy :o I'm spoiling you, aren't I? Who was the mysterious Nil and how do they relate to our heroes, if at all? Tune in next time to find out more.


End file.
